Business & Economy
Investment and Market Adjustments
- Ethiopia: Standard Bank has invested $138 million into Safaricom Ethiopia, strengthening the telecom operator’s rollout of digital infrastructure and signaling strong investor confidence in East Africa’s telecom growth.
- Kenya: The Central Bank reduced its benchmark lending rate to 9%, a three-year low, aiming to ease borrowing conditions and stimulate domestic economic activity amid rising cost-of-living pressures.
Energy Sector Developments
- Namibia: Hyphen Hydrogen Energy secured a $10 million AfDB loan to advance design studies for its flagship green ammonia project valued at over $10 billion. The project continues to position Namibia as a leading candidate for clean-energy exports to Europe and Asia.
Tech & Innovation
Industrial and Digital Shifts
- Nigeria: Frigoglass Group completed the sale of its Nigerian glass-manufacturing unit to private equity firm Helios Investment Partners for $116 million, reshaping the country’s industrial landscape and expanding Helios’ footprint across manufacturing.
- Ethiopia: Safaricom’s continued expansion, backed by new capital injections, is accelerating digital payments integration and mobile-banking adoption, particularly in underserved regions.
Geopolitics & Regional Affairs
Leadership and Political Continuity
- Côte d’Ivoire: President Alassane Ouattara was sworn in for a fourth term, extending his leadership to 2030. The move maintains political continuity but has renewed continental debate over constitutional amendments and extended presidencies.
Regional Governance Pressures
- West Africa: ECOWAS warned that the region is effectively in a state of emergency following a succession of coups and attempted coups. The failed Benin coup underscores heightened instability across the bloc and growing demands for coordinated regional security reform.
Security & Conflict
Sudan: Intensifying Conflict Dynamics
- RSF Capture of Heglig: The Rapid Support Forces seized Sudan’s largest oil field at Heglig, gaining strategic control over a key section of the Greater Nile Oil Pipeline. Analysts warn this dramatically strengthens the RSF’s financial and logistical position.
- Foreign Mercenary Pipeline: The U.S. Treasury sanctioned a Colombian-led network accused of recruiting ex-soldiers to fight for the RSF, highlighting the conflict’s growing internationalization.
Eastern Congo: Rebel Advance
- Rwandan-backed rebels advanced on the outskirts of Uvira, displacing more than 200,000 people within days. Congolese troops reportedly withdrew southward as international observers warn of a widening regional spillover toward Burundi.
Regional Security Cooperation
- Nigeria–Saudi Arabia: Both countries signed a military cooperation MoU, covering training, joint exercises, intelligence sharing, and logistics. The pact is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s defence capabilities amid persistent insurgency threats.
Benin: Coup Attempt Thwarted
- Benin’s security forces, supported by French surveillance and Nigerian military coordination, foiled a coup attempt. The alleged plot leader has fled to Togo, with Benin now formally requesting extradition.
Human Rights & Governance
Accountability for Historic Atrocities
- The ICC sentenced former Janjaweed commander Ali Kushayb to 20 years for war crimes committed during the 2003–2004 Darfur atrocities. The ruling marks a milestone in long-delayed justice for victims of the conflict.
Civic Space Under Pressure
- Tanzania: Independence Day unfolded under unusually quiet conditions after authorities suspended public celebrations. Heavy security presence and government directives urging citizens to remain indoors reflected heightened tensions following disputed October elections.
Outlook
Africa’s political and security environment remains fluid, with multiple crises unfolding simultaneously—Sudan’s escalating civil war, intensifying instability in eastern Congo, and attempted coups in West Africa. Yet economic activity, investment in digital infrastructure, and renewable-energy commitments continue to advance, underscoring the continent’s resilience amid complex challenges.
