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Issue Date: September 20, 2025
A Pan-African digest of key developments in Business, Politics, Human Rights, Climate & Security
Business & Macro
Uganda’s Public Debt Rises Sharply
Uganda’s total public debt surged by 26% year-on-year, reaching $32.3 billion as of June 2025. The debt-to-GDP ratio also increased to 51.3%, up from 46.9% a year prior, raising concerns about fiscal sustainability amid slowing growth and rising borrowing costs.
Zimbabwe Upgrades Growth Forecast
Zimbabwe revised its 2025 economic growth forecast upwards to 6.6%, citing strong tobacco harvests and rising gold prices. The increase of 60 basis points reflects optimism in key export sectors despite ongoing currency instability.
Climate & Energy
EU Pledges $1.5 Billion to Namibia for Green Energy
The European Union has committed $1.5 billion in grants and loans to Namibia, supporting its emerging green hydrogen and ammonia industries. The funds will also enhance the country’s electricity grid and port infrastructure, strengthening its role in global renewable supply chains.
Eskom Closes Security Breaches
South Africa’s power utility Eskom reported it has resolved both physical and cyber breaches that previously enabled staff to facilitate illegal access to electricity tokens. The breaches had raised alarm over internal collusion and grid vulnerability.
Politics & Elections
Malawi: Both Leading Parties Claim Victory
Tensions are mounting in Malawi as both the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) claim victory in the presidential election. The Malawi Electoral Commission says over 99% of votes are counted but has yet to declare official results.
President Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika are in a tight race. If no candidate secures over 50%, a runoff will be required. The MEC has urged calm, warning political actors against pressuring the electoral process.
Guinea Referendum Nears Amid Opposition Boycott
Guinea concludes campaigning for a controversial constitutional referendum, seen as paving the way for the junta leader to contest future presidential elections. Opposition parties have boycotted the vote, calling it a “masquerade.” Rights groups report a clampdown on media, disappearances, and restricted civil liberties.
Human Rights
Nigeria: 91 Chibok Girls Still Missing
Ten years after the mass abduction by Boko Haram, 91 Chibok schoolgirls remain unaccounted for, according to a UN CEDAW report. Survivors face ongoing trauma, stigma, and lack of rehabilitation. The report also cites insufficient support services for abductees and displaced women in northeastern Nigeria.
Moroccan Activist Jailed for Online Posts
Moroccan human rights defender Saida El Alami has been sentenced to three years in prison for “contempt of court” and criticism of public authorities on Facebook. The sentence follows a royal pardon granted last year during a separate prison term for similar charges. Her lawyer condemned the ruling as unjust and politically motivated.
Conflict & Security
Sudan: RSF Drone Strike Kills 75 in Darfur
A drone strike by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) hit a mosque at the Abu Shouk displacement camp near El-Fasher, killing at least 75 civilians, according to local rescuers. The RSF has intensified efforts to seize the army’s last stronghold in Darfur, raising alarms over potential mass atrocities.
Wagner Fighters Cross into Sudan from CAR
Russian Wagner Group mercenaries have reportedly crossed into Sudan from the Central African Republic, attacking villages in South Darfur. Local sources say seven civilians were killed and several communities displaced. The RSF, which controls the Sudan-CAR border, had recently withdrawn from key posts in the area without explanation.
France Cuts Security Ties with Mali
France has suspended counter-terrorism cooperation with Mali and expelled two Malian diplomats in response to the arrest of a French embassy staffer in Bamako. Paris labeled the detention as arbitrary and accused Mali’s junta of undermining diplomatic norms. Mali had previously expelled five French diplomats amid ongoing tensions.
Compiled by the African Continental Brief Desk — covering developments across the continent with clarity, neutrality, and precision.
