The first edition of one of Egypt’s first newspapers, Vekayi’-I misriyye, is published, bilingually in Turkish and Arabic. Egypt is currently a sultanate of Turkey's Ottoman Empire.

In the Vatican, the head of the Catholic Church Pope Gregory XVI issues In Supremo Apostolatus directing “that no one hereafter may dare unjustly to molest Indians, Blacks or other men of this sort, or to reduce them to slavery.” Catholic Bishops in the U.S. states where slavery is legal declare that the order does not apply to slave-owning Americans because in the U.S. slaves are not held “unjustly.”

The first edition appears of Nigeria’s first newspaper, Iwe Irohin, a biweekly published in Yoruba (price 120 cowries) and English (price one penny) by missionary Henry Townsend. The newspaper will last until 1867, but will be revived in 2012 by the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

Egyptian nationalist leader Ahmed ‘Urabi is tried and found guilty of leading a revolt against British rule. To avoid making him a martyr for the anti-colonialist cause, the British immediately convert the sentence of death to banishment to Ceylon. ‘Urabi will return to Egypt in 1901.

Dar es Salaam, German East Africa (Tanzania) is captured by British forces during World War I.

Extensive new building construction commences as all of Italy’s North African possession are merged into a single colony, Italian Libya, which will last until the expulsion of fascist Italy from North Africa in 1943 during World War II. Plazas, government complexes, triumphal arches and monuments - all will be built in the 1930s in a style combing ancient Roman monumental and streamline moderne.

World War II is causing shortages of basic necessities globally, and in British Nigeria a stampede for salt kills a small child. The British colonial secretary is questioned today in parliament about Nigeria’s salt crisis, and declares he is unaware of the need for more distribution centres. Nigerians are urged to contribute their wages to the war effort by purchasing interest-bearing war bonds. Buses advertise “Kill Hitler with Certificates.”

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The trial begins in British East Africa (Kenya) of Kenyan independence leader Jomo Kenyatta (pic: centre, white trousers) and his fellow independence advocates, the “Kapenguria Six.” They are charged with conspiring to murder white settlers. The show trial is masterminded by the new colonial governor Evelyn Baring, who considers advocates for independence to be indistinguishable from Mau Mau militants. Baring bribes the judge with a pension, and he bribes witnesses with money and land to achieve the guilty verdict he wants.

French Algerians led by Pierre Lagaillarde form the Organisation Armée Secrète (OAS) to fight against the independence of Algeria by using terrorist tactics.

The first successful human heart transplant is accomplished at Cape Town’s Groote Schurr Hospital. South African cardiac surgeon Christiaan Barnard places a new heart into 53 year-old patient Louis Washkansky.

The song Do They Know It’s Christmas? Is released, sung by the group Band Aid who are assembled for this project. Made up of U.K. singing stars, the group seeks to raise funds for Ethiopian food relief. Although the song is criticised for its patronising point of view (Africans actually do known when Christmas occurs), nearly 12 million copies are sold by 1989 worldwide.

E-toll begins in South Africa’s Gauteng province as a means to make 3.5 million registered vehicles in Johannesburg, Pretoria and elsewhere pay for highway use. The electronic tolling system uses elevated sensors to automatically bill motorists. In response, a massive civil disobedience campaign begins, resulting in nearly US$1 billion in unpaid tolls by October 2018.

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The newest of Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare’s now world-famous “wind sculptures” is unveiled before the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in the U.S. capital Washington DC. It is the first sculpture to be permanently placed at the new museum.

Central African Republic’s Constitutional Court rules that former President François Bozizé cannot run for another term because he fails to meet candidates’ “good morality” requirement. The court cites U.N. sanctions against Bozizé for assassination and torture during his administration.

Nigeria singing sensation Wizkid is embraced by American listeners as his song Essence reaches the 23 position on the Apple Music’s U.S. Top 100 Songs for 2021.