Substandard lubricants constitute a multibillion drain on the African continent’s economy, said Cliff Classen, managing director of Penthol SA at the 10th ICIS African Base Oils and Lubricants Conference in cape Town, South Africa. Classen said that substandard lubes has become common in the continent’s leading lubricant markets such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. He pointed out that recent independent testing by the Southern African Institute of Tribology (SAIT) revealed that up to 50% of sampled lubricants failed to meet their declared specifications. This is despite the fact that “South Africa’s Counterfeit Goods Act (1997) criminalizes the manufacture, sale, and possession of counterfeit products but enforcement remains challenging” because “porous borders and limited testing facilities make it easy for counterfeit and substandard lubricant oils to enter the market unchecked”. He estimates that substandard lubes is estimated to cost Nigeria “200bn naira (138m USD) loss annually”. Similarly, he emphasised that a 2023 report by the “Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) estimated that counterfeit goods, including lubricants, cost Kenya billions annually in lost revenue and damages”.

Classen identified five categories of sub-standard lubes that exists on the African lubricant market including “outright fakes, packaging and branding that illegally mimic genuine products; substandard quality, contain used or low-grade base oils, lacking proper additives and falsely marketed as high performance; adulterated products, genuine oil diluted with kerosene, inferior oils, or other harmful substances; illegal imports/diversion, genuine products smuggled into markets without paying duties, often lacking region-specific formulations or labels; and false claims, lack authentic performance certification and thus misrepresenting actual quality”. Classen said that the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) highlighted the reuse of branded containers as a key issue. However, he lauded the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as a regional example in tackling counterfeit lubricants: “SON routinely seizes and destroys fake engine oils, issues public alerts, and collaborates with local distributors to monitor market quality. SON’s approach combines market surveillance, testing, and public education, proving that strong enforcement paired with consumer vigilance can reduce the spread of fake lubricants,” Classen added. Furthermore, Classen, identified four ways in which substandard lubes impact African countries including “economic cost leading to lost revenue for manufacturers and governments; mechanical cost resulting in poor equipment performance, consumer cost leading to confidence and trust erosion, and environmental cost with consequences for health and safety risks”

Proffering solution, Classen said that regulatory enforcement agencies such as SON in Nigeria and ACA in Kenya conduct raids and enforce standards. He identified four avenues through which substandard lubricants could be reduced on the African continent: “Technology, invest in packaging and labelling technology that make fakes extremely hard to produce if at all; Business Leadership, campaigns to educate and create awareness among stakeholders; Informed Consumers, consumers and fleet owners should exercise due caution to protect their assets and Managed Waste Oil Disposal, initiatives to collect and recycle used packs and waste oil properly e.g. ROSE Foundation RSA.” Classen mentioned QR code verification which uses unique, tamper-evident codes on packaging that consumers’ scan with smartphones to confirm authenticity via a secure database. He explained that when consumers scan the QR code it redirects them to a verification page showing batch details, which trigger alerts for fakes. He explained that some of the benefits of using QR Codes include: “Real-time tracking, consumer empowerment, and data for brands to identify hotspots Integration: Often combined with holograms or apps for enhanced security”.

2. Ghanaian Researchers Develop Plant-based Lubricant

Researchers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) have developed a plant-based lubricant by chemically modifying Jatropha oil through esterification, transesterification and epoxidation before blending it with performance-enhancing additives. The researchers found that oil from the Jatropha curcas plant can be converted into a high-performance engine lubricant that meets international standards and performs reliably over 12,000 kilometres of motorcycle use. According to the researchers the plant-based lubricant recorded a high viscosity index of 227, meaning it maintained stable performance across a wide range of operating temperatures.

The lubricant demonstrated strong safety and durability characteristics, including a flash point of 230°C, a pour point of -20°C, low free fatty acid content and an acid value below recommended limits, all of which indicate good thermal stability and resistance to degradation.

To assess its real-world performance, the researchers tested the lubricant in a motorcycle engine over 12,000 kilometres. Although the viscosity index declined to 192.9 during operation, the lubricant retained acceptable viscosity and thermal stability throughout the test period.

Engine wear was also evaluated using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. Metal wear particles remained within original equipment manufacturer (OEM) guideline ranges, suggesting that the bio-lubricant provided adequate protection for engine components during prolonged use.

The researchers concluded that Jatropha curcas oil is a viable renewable base stock for producing automotive lubricants, demonstrating that plant-based oils can deliver the performance required for modern engines while reducing dependence on petroleum-derived products.

“Jatropha curcas is a plant-based material, and we want to gradually move away from petroleum-based products. This demonstrates that we can replace, or at least supplement, petroleum-based products with plant-based precursors such as Jatropha curcas oil. That is why we undertook this work, and we have successfully developed this automotive lubricant,” Dr Bennetta Koomson, a co-author, said.

Culled from Kumasi Mail.

Emeka Umejei, PhD, Journalism and Media Studies (Wits).

Substandard lubricants constitute a multibillion drain on the African continent’s economy, said Cliff Classen, managing director of Penthol SA at the 10th ICIS African Base Oils and Lubricants Conference in cape Town, South Africa. Classen said that substandard lubes has become common in the continent’s leading lubricant markets such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. He pointed out that recent independent testing by the Southern African Institute of Tribology (SAIT) revealed that up to 50% of sampled lubricants failed to meet their declared specifications. This is despite the fact that “South Africa’s Counterfeit Goods Act (1997) criminalizes the manufacture, sale, and possession of counterfeit products but enforcement remains challenging” because “porous borders and limited testing facilities make it easy for counterfeit and substandard lubricant oils to enter the market unchecked”. He estimates that substandard lubes is estimated to cost Nigeria “200bn naira (138m USD) loss annually”. Similarly, he emphasised that a 2023 report by the “Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) estimated that counterfeit goods, including lubricants, cost Kenya billions annually in lost revenue and damages”.

Classen identified five categories of sub-standard lubes that exists on the African lubricant market including “outright fakes, packaging and branding that illegally mimic genuine products; substandard quality, contain used or low-grade base oils, lacking proper additives and falsely marketed as high performance; adulterated products, genuine oil diluted with kerosene, inferior oils, or other harmful substances; illegal imports/diversion, genuine products smuggled into markets without paying duties, often lacking region-specific formulations or labels; and false claims, lack authentic performance certification and thus misrepresenting actual quality”. Classen said that the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) highlighted the reuse of branded containers as a key issue. However, he lauded the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as a regional example in tackling counterfeit lubricants: “SON routinely seizes and destroys fake engine oils, issues public alerts, and collaborates with local distributors to monitor market quality. SON’s approach combines market surveillance, testing, and public education, proving that strong enforcement paired with consumer vigilance can reduce the spread of fake lubricants,” Classen added. Furthermore, Classen, identified four ways in which substandard lubes impact African countries including “economic cost leading to lost revenue for manufacturers and governments; mechanical cost resulting in poor equipment performance, consumer cost leading to confidence and trust erosion, and environmental cost with consequences for health and safety risks”

Proffering solution, Classen said that regulatory enforcement agencies such as SON in Nigeria and ACA in Kenya conduct raids and enforce standards. He identified four avenues through which substandard lubricants could be reduced on the African continent: “Technology, invest in packaging and labelling technology that make fakes extremely hard to produce if at all; Business Leadership, campaigns to educate and create awareness among stakeholders; Informed Consumers, consumers and fleet owners should exercise due caution to protect their assets and Managed Waste Oil Disposal, initiatives to collect and recycle used packs and waste oil properly e.g. ROSE Foundation RSA.” Classen mentioned QR code verification which uses unique, tamper-evident codes on packaging that consumers’ scan with smartphones to confirm authenticity via a secure database. He explained that when consumers scan the QR code it redirects them to a verification page showing batch details, which trigger alerts for fakes. He explained that some of the benefits of using QR Codes include: “Real-time tracking, consumer empowerment, and data for brands to identify hotspots Integration: Often combined with holograms or apps for enhanced security”.

2. Ghanaian Researchers Develop Plant-based Lubricant

Researchers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) have developed a plant-based lubricant by chemically modifying Jatropha oil through esterification, transesterification and epoxidation before blending it with performance-enhancing additives. The researchers found that oil from the Jatropha curcas plant can be converted into a high-performance engine lubricant that meets international standards and performs reliably over 12,000 kilometres of motorcycle use. According to the researchers the plant-based lubricant recorded a high viscosity index of 227, meaning it maintained stable performance across a wide range of operating temperatures.

The lubricant demonstrated strong safety and durability characteristics, including a flash point of 230°C, a pour point of -20°C, low free fatty acid content and an acid value below recommended limits, all of which indicate good thermal stability and resistance to degradation.

To assess its real-world performance, the researchers tested the lubricant in a motorcycle engine over 12,000 kilometres. Although the viscosity index declined to 192.9 during operation, the lubricant retained acceptable viscosity and thermal stability throughout the test period.

Engine wear was also evaluated using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. Metal wear particles remained within original equipment manufacturer (OEM) guideline ranges, suggesting that the bio-lubricant provided adequate protection for engine components during prolonged use.

The researchers concluded that Jatropha curcas oil is a viable renewable base stock for producing automotive lubricants, demonstrating that plant-based oils can deliver the performance required for modern engines while reducing dependence on petroleum-derived products.

“Jatropha curcas is a plant-based material, and we want to gradually move away from petroleum-based products. This demonstrates that we can replace, or at least supplement, petroleum-based products with plant-based precursors such as Jatropha curcas oil. That is why we undertook this work, and we have successfully developed this automotive lubricant,” Dr Bennetta Koomson, a co-author, said.

Culled from Kumasi Mail.

Emeka Umejei, PhD, Journalism and Media Studies (Wits).

What’s possible in a week? If you dedicated seven days to the achievement of one goal, how ambitious could you make this goal? These were the questions that the multilingual friends Katy and Sara posed themselves when they determined to learn English in one week, to prove that it can be done and anyone can do it with the right methods.

They would attempt to liberate themselves from the distractions and responsibilities of modern-day life in order to cram eight hours of study time and I was observing some of the world’s most capable language learners at work.

The friends set themselves the challenge of learning a language in a week in order to stretch themselves, and then it was a question of choosing which language to learn. English presented itself as a natural option; there are nigh on 300,000 English speakers in Germany’s capital, and the areas are dotted with stores adorned with signs in English.

“Truly understanding one’s environment requires one to first understand English”

The first operational step in the friends learning process was to decorate the entire apartment with sticky notes. This had an almost ceremonial touch to it as the friends delved into dictionaries and proceeded to label everything with its corresponding English name.

Within the space of about an hour it was impossible to carry out any menial task, be it making a coffee or flicking off a light switch, without first being presented with at least three different words related to this action.

The importance of the other twin’s presence became immediately apparent as Katy and Sara delegated responsibilities for rooms to decorate with sticky notes. This simple task was augmented by continuous little tests that they would spring on one another, and the fact that they split up their day slightly differently and studied different topics meant that each twin became a source of knowledge for the other.

The most extraordinary moment came towards the end of the week!

The friends simply switched their everyday conversations to English, asking one another if they wanted tea or coffee, were ready to cook dinner or when they were going to leave the house.

Katy and Sara had numerous micro-challenges throughout the week. On the first day they were visited by a English friend who greeted them in English and complimented them on how quickly they’d picked up their first words and phrases.

They then learned the names of fruits and the numbers from one to a billion so that they could visit the English market (although they refrained from purchasing nine hundred thousand kumquats). Displaying their haul after their first functional exchange in English, they beamed with pride and a palpable sense of accomplishment before marching back home to study further.

On our second visit to the brother’s apartment 24 hours into the week, we found them sampling dozens of different kinds of English snacks.

Like kids staring at the backs of cereal packs before heading to school, the nutritional information and various special offers and competitions on the packaging were analysed during snack breaks.

There was no moment of complete removal from the language learning process during the eight hours that the friends had allotted to it.

They were constantly using their existing knowledge to support the ever-growing knowledge of English, this being the root of their success.

“you will likely come across words that share common origins with your native tongue”

The friends spent a lot of time engrossed in books or on their computers and apps, flicking and swiping their way through exercises eagerly, but at other times they were to be found searching busily for English radio stations and write-ups of English football games on the web.

There is no definitive method to learn a language fluently

All too often, people enter their weekly language class to converse with their teacher, but then barely have any contact with other speakers and that’s not enough.

The old saying that we can solve problems more effectively when we sleep on it may be especially true if the problem we’re trying to solve is learning a new language.

Researchers from two Swiss universities wanted to know if they could enhance the learning of words from a foreign language by exposing people to the words during non-rapid eye movement sleep the deep, dreamless sleep period that most of us experience during the first few hours of the night.

To find out, they gathered two groups of study participants, all of whom were native German speakers, and gave them a series of Dutch-to-German word pairs to learn at 10 pm. One group was then instructed to get some sleep, while the other group was kept awake.For the next few hours both groups listened to an audio playback of the word pairs they’d already been exposed to and some they hadn’t yet heard.

The researchers then re-gathered both groups at 2 am and gave them a test of the Dutch words to uncover any differences in learning. And indeed there was a difference:

“The group that listened to the words during sleep did better at recalling the words they’d heard”

The simple yet potent trick the researchers employed is known as verbal cueing, and this isn’t the first claim made for its success while sleeping. But what makes this study different is that it puts a finer point on the conditions necessary for this trick to actually work namely, it only works when we’ve already been exposed to the verbal cues before we sleep.

The researchers added a techie dimension by conducting electroencephalographic (EEG)recordings of the sleeping participants brains to track neural electrical activity during the learning period.

They found that learning the foreign words overlapped with the appearance of theta brain waves, an intriguing result since theta is the brain wave state often associated with heightened learning while awake (usually we’re in either the high-frequency, high-alertness alpha or beta states while awake, but it’s thought possible to induce theta state slower in frequency than alpha and beta through concentration techniques).

What’s possible in a week? If you dedicated seven days to the achievement of one goal, how ambitious could you make this goal? These were the questions that the multilingual friends Katy and Sara posed themselves when they determined to learn English in one week, to prove that it can be done and anyone can do it with the right methods.

They would attempt to liberate themselves from the distractions and responsibilities of modern-day life in order to cram eight hours of study time and I was observing some of the world’s most capable language learners at work.

The friends set themselves the challenge of learning a language in a week in order to stretch themselves, and then it was a question of choosing which language to learn. English presented itself as a natural option; there are nigh on 300,000 English speakers in Germany’s capital, and the areas are dotted with stores adorned with signs in English.

“Truly understanding one’s environment requires one to first understand English”

The first operational step in the friends learning process was to decorate the entire apartment with sticky notes. This had an almost ceremonial touch to it as the friends delved into dictionaries and proceeded to label everything with its corresponding English name.

Within the space of about an hour it was impossible to carry out any menial task, be it making a coffee or flicking off a light switch, without first being presented with at least three different words related to this action.

The importance of the other twin’s presence became immediately apparent as Katy and Sara delegated responsibilities for rooms to decorate with sticky notes. This simple task was augmented by continuous little tests that they would spring on one another, and the fact that they split up their day slightly differently and studied different topics meant that each twin became a source of knowledge for the other.

The most extraordinary moment came towards the end of the week!

The friends simply switched their everyday conversations to English, asking one another if they wanted tea or coffee, were ready to cook dinner or when they were going to leave the house.

Katy and Sara had numerous micro-challenges throughout the week. On the first day they were visited by a English friend who greeted them in English and complimented them on how quickly they’d picked up their first words and phrases.

They then learned the names of fruits and the numbers from one to a billion so that they could visit the English market (although they refrained from purchasing nine hundred thousand kumquats). Displaying their haul after their first functional exchange in English, they beamed with pride and a palpable sense of accomplishment before marching back home to study further.

On our second visit to the brother’s apartment 24 hours into the week, we found them sampling dozens of different kinds of English snacks.

Like kids staring at the backs of cereal packs before heading to school, the nutritional information and various special offers and competitions on the packaging were analysed during snack breaks.

There was no moment of complete removal from the language learning process during the eight hours that the friends had allotted to it.

They were constantly using their existing knowledge to support the ever-growing knowledge of English, this being the root of their success.

“you will likely come across words that share common origins with your native tongue”

The friends spent a lot of time engrossed in books or on their computers and apps, flicking and swiping their way through exercises eagerly, but at other times they were to be found searching busily for English radio stations and write-ups of English football games on the web.

There is no definitive method to learn a language fluently

All too often, people enter their weekly language class to converse with their teacher, but then barely have any contact with other speakers and that’s not enough.

The old saying that we can solve problems more effectively when we sleep on it may be especially true if the problem we’re trying to solve is learning a new language.

Researchers from two Swiss universities wanted to know if they could enhance the learning of words from a foreign language by exposing people to the words during non-rapid eye movement sleep the deep, dreamless sleep period that most of us experience during the first few hours of the night.

To find out, they gathered two groups of study participants, all of whom were native German speakers, and gave them a series of Dutch-to-German word pairs to learn at 10 pm. One group was then instructed to get some sleep, while the other group was kept awake.For the next few hours both groups listened to an audio playback of the word pairs they’d already been exposed to and some they hadn’t yet heard.

The researchers then re-gathered both groups at 2 am and gave them a test of the Dutch words to uncover any differences in learning. And indeed there was a difference:

“The group that listened to the words during sleep did better at recalling the words they’d heard”

The simple yet potent trick the researchers employed is known as verbal cueing, and this isn’t the first claim made for its success while sleeping. But what makes this study different is that it puts a finer point on the conditions necessary for this trick to actually work namely, it only works when we’ve already been exposed to the verbal cues before we sleep.

The researchers added a techie dimension by conducting electroencephalographic (EEG)recordings of the sleeping participants brains to track neural electrical activity during the learning period.

They found that learning the foreign words overlapped with the appearance of theta brain waves, an intriguing result since theta is the brain wave state often associated with heightened learning while awake (usually we’re in either the high-frequency, high-alertness alpha or beta states while awake, but it’s thought possible to induce theta state slower in frequency than alpha and beta through concentration techniques).

What’s possible in a week? If you dedicated seven days to the achievement of one goal, how ambitious could you make this goal? These were the questions that the multilingual friends Katy and Sara posed themselves when they determined to learn English in one week, to prove that it can be done and anyone can do it with the right methods.

They would attempt to liberate themselves from the distractions and responsibilities of modern-day life in order to cram eight hours of study time and I was observing some of the world’s most capable language learners at work.

The friends set themselves the challenge of learning a language in a week in order to stretch themselves, and then it was a question of choosing which language to learn. English presented itself as a natural option; there are nigh on 300,000 English speakers in Germany’s capital, and the areas are dotted with stores adorned with signs in English.

“Truly understanding one’s environment requires one to first understand English”

The first operational step in the friends learning process was to decorate the entire apartment with sticky notes. This had an almost ceremonial touch to it as the friends delved into dictionaries and proceeded to label everything with its corresponding English name.

Within the space of about an hour it was impossible to carry out any menial task, be it making a coffee or flicking off a light switch, without first being presented with at least three different words related to this action.

The importance of the other twin’s presence became immediately apparent as Katy and Sara delegated responsibilities for rooms to decorate with sticky notes. This simple task was augmented by continuous little tests that they would spring on one another, and the fact that they split up their day slightly differently and studied different topics meant that each twin became a source of knowledge for the other.

The most extraordinary moment came towards the end of the week!

The friends simply switched their everyday conversations to English, asking one another if they wanted tea or coffee, were ready to cook dinner or when they were going to leave the house.

Katy and Sara had numerous micro-challenges throughout the week. On the first day they were visited by a English friend who greeted them in English and complimented them on how quickly they’d picked up their first words and phrases.

They then learned the names of fruits and the numbers from one to a billion so that they could visit the English market (although they refrained from purchasing nine hundred thousand kumquats). Displaying their haul after their first functional exchange in English, they beamed with pride and a palpable sense of accomplishment before marching back home to study further.

On our second visit to the brother’s apartment 24 hours into the week, we found them sampling dozens of different kinds of English snacks.

Like kids staring at the backs of cereal packs before heading to school, the nutritional information and various special offers and competitions on the packaging were analysed during snack breaks.

There was no moment of complete removal from the language learning process during the eight hours that the friends had allotted to it.

They were constantly using their existing knowledge to support the ever-growing knowledge of English, this being the root of their success.

“you will likely come across words that share common origins with your native tongue”

The friends spent a lot of time engrossed in books or on their computers and apps, flicking and swiping their way through exercises eagerly, but at other times they were to be found searching busily for English radio stations and write-ups of English football games on the web.

There is no definitive method to learn a language fluently

All too often, people enter their weekly language class to converse with their teacher, but then barely have any contact with other speakers and that’s not enough.

The old saying that we can solve problems more effectively when we sleep on it may be especially true if the problem we’re trying to solve is learning a new language.

Researchers from two Swiss universities wanted to know if they could enhance the learning of words from a foreign language by exposing people to the words during non-rapid eye movement sleep the deep, dreamless sleep period that most of us experience during the first few hours of the night.

To find out, they gathered two groups of study participants, all of whom were native German speakers, and gave them a series of Dutch-to-German word pairs to learn at 10 pm. One group was then instructed to get some sleep, while the other group was kept awake.For the next few hours both groups listened to an audio playback of the word pairs they’d already been exposed to and some they hadn’t yet heard.

The researchers then re-gathered both groups at 2 am and gave them a test of the Dutch words to uncover any differences in learning. And indeed there was a difference:

“The group that listened to the words during sleep did better at recalling the words they’d heard”

The simple yet potent trick the researchers employed is known as verbal cueing, and this isn’t the first claim made for its success while sleeping. But what makes this study different is that it puts a finer point on the conditions necessary for this trick to actually work namely, it only works when we’ve already been exposed to the verbal cues before we sleep.

The researchers added a techie dimension by conducting electroencephalographic (EEG)recordings of the sleeping participants brains to track neural electrical activity during the learning period.

They found that learning the foreign words overlapped with the appearance of theta brain waves, an intriguing result since theta is the brain wave state often associated with heightened learning while awake (usually we’re in either the high-frequency, high-alertness alpha or beta states while awake, but it’s thought possible to induce theta state slower in frequency than alpha and beta through concentration techniques).