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Business & Macro
📈 MTN Rebounds with $555 Million Profit After Prior Year’s Loss
Johannesburg – Pan-African telecommunications giant MTN has posted a robust net income of $555 million in the first half of 2025, reversing a $420 million loss during the same period in 2024. Last year’s losses were largely driven by severe currency devaluations in Nigeria and Ghana, two of MTN’s largest markets. The company has since implemented hedging strategies and local currency cost containment to cushion forex impacts.
🏗️ Uganda Launches $250M Chinese-Owned Gold Project
Wakiso – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni inaugurated the $250 million Wagagai Gold Mining Project, owned by Chinese investors. The plant is set to process 5,000 tons of gold ore daily, bolstering Uganda’s ambition to become a regional mineral hub. The venture marks one of the largest Chinese investments in Uganda’s mining sector to date.
Climate & Energy
🏛️ Climate Change Threatens Burkina Faso Heritage Site
Tiébélé – The Royal Court of Tiébélé, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its intricate earthen architecture, is reportedly deteriorating rapidly due to climate change. Locals cite increased rainfall variability, erosion, and heatwaves as driving factors behind the disintegration of this cultural landmark.
Geopolitics & Policy
🇲🇱 Mali Junta Arrests Generals, French National over Coup Allegations
Bamako – Mali’s military junta arrested two top generals and a French man, claiming they were involved in a foreign-backed plot to destabilize the country. France denied espionage claims, stating the individual was an embassy official. Tensions remain high as Mali continues its pivot away from Western alliances.
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau Expels Portuguese Media amid Election Crackdown
Bissau – Guinea-Bissau’s government expelled news agency Lusa and broadcaster RTP ahead of contentious November elections. Lisbon condemned the move and summoned Bissau’s ambassador, citing concerns over democratic backsliding and press freedom. The expulsions follow President Umaro Sissoco Embalo’s postponement of elections, triggering further unrest.
🌍 SADC Leaders Push for Industrialization, Regional Trade Expansion
Antananarivo – Southern African leaders at the SADC summit in Madagascar pledged to boost manufacturing from 11% to 30% of GDP by 2030. New SADC chair President Andry Rajoelina emphasized the importance of integrating agriculture, energy transition, and industry to enhance intra-African trade.
Technology & Investment
🌍 IFC Eyes $10M Investment in East African Safari Holdings
Nairobi – The International Finance Corporation (IFC) plans to invest $10 million in Safari Holdings, a tourism investment group operating across Kenya and Tanzania. The move aligns with efforts to rebuild the region’s eco-tourism economy after pandemic-era declines.
📺 Ghana Fines South Africa’s MultiChoice $900/Day in Pricing Dispute
Accra – Ghana’s government began imposing a $900 daily fine on South African broadcaster MultiChoice over alleged non-compliance with local pricing regulations. The dispute has heightened regulatory tensions between the two countries and sparked debate over market control and competition.
Peace & Security
🤝 DRC Peace Draft Shared with M23 as Doha Negotiations Continue
Doha – A draft peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 militia has been shared by Qatari mediators. Although a final deal has yet to be signed, both sides have responded positively. The talks aim to end hostilities that have displaced millions in eastern DRC since M23 resumed attacks in late 2021.
☠️ RSF Shells Darfur Camp, Killing 31 Amid Famine Crisis
El-Fasher – Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled the Abu Shouk displacement camp, killing 31 people, including children and a pregnant woman. This marks the second attack on the camp in a week as RSF attempts to seize el-Fasher, the military’s last Darfur stronghold. The camp is suffering from famine, further compounding the humanitarian emergency.
🛑 Sudan Army Accused of Torture, Secret Executions in Khartoum
Khartoum – Human rights group Emergency Lawyers accused Sudan’s army of operating torture chambers and executing detainees in Khartoum. The report adds to growing evidence of atrocities committed by both the army and RSF in a civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2023.
🎯 Nigeria Captures Leaders of Notorious Ansaru Jihadist Group
Abuja – Nigerian authorities announced the arrest of Mahmud Usman and Mahmud al-Nigeri, leaders of the jihadist group Ansaru, responsible for the 2022 Abuja jailbreak and deadly attacks on infrastructure. Officials hailed the arrests as a major victory in the country’s fight against terrorism.
🚄 Nigeria’s $60B China-Funded Bullet Train Project Advances
Abuja – Nigeria’s ambitious $60 billion high-speed rail project took a leap forward with formal financing commitments from China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings and local logistics firm De-Sadel Nigeria. The 4,000km network aims to connect Lagos and Port Harcourt, with partial operations expected within three years.
⚰️ Armed Men Kill 20 Civilians in Niger’s Troubled West
Komabangou – Armed attackers intercepted a civilian truck near a gold mine in Niger’s western region, executing 20 passengers. The massacre comes amid ongoing instability fueled by jihadist groups despite increased military deployments.
🏜️ At Least 35 Migrants Dead in Niger Desert Crossings in 2025
Agadez – NGO Alarme Phone Sahara reported 35 to 40 migrant deaths between January and August as people attempted to cross the Niger desert into Libya and Algeria. Smugglers abandoning migrants and vehicle breakdowns remain leading causes of death.
South Sudan Spotlight
🚨 SPLM-IO Condemns Kiir’s Unilateral Removals, Warns of Crisis
Juba – South Sudan’s SPLM-In Opposition condemned President Salva Kiir’s removal of its officials without consultation, calling it a breach of the Revitalized Peace Agreement. The group warned of renewed instability and called for urgent international mediation.
🧒 Youth Caught in Gang Violence, Military Conscription Allegations
South Sudan’s gang problem has escalated, particularly in Juba, where street violence and police crackdowns have intensified. Lawmakers and families allege that youth are being forcibly conscripted into the national army under the guise of anti-gang operations.
Culture & Identity
🇧🇯 Benin Courts Diaspora with ‘Passport Diplomacy’ and Cultural Revival
Cotonou – Benin President Patrice Talon continues his strategy of using cultural diplomacy and “passport politics” to reconnect with the African diaspora. Notable moves include appointing Spike Lee and his wife as cultural ambassadors and offering Beninese nationality to prominent global figures. Through soft power and heritage tourism, Benin aims to raise tourism’s GDP contribution from 6% to 13.4% by 2030.
Source: africacenter.org, semafor.com
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