Business & Macro
Nigeria Suspends 15% Fuel Import Tax
Nigeria’s Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced the suspension of a proposed 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel. (Reuters)
The tariff, approved by President Tinubu to boost non-oil revenue and protect local refineries (especially the Dangote Refinery), faced strong opposition from fuel marketers who warned of higher pump prices. (ThisDayLive)
Despite the reversal, the NMDPRA assured citizens that there is “adequate supply” and urged against panic buying during this peak demand period. (ThisDayLive)
Meanwhile, the Enugu Chamber of Commerce (ECCIMA) had publicly supported the original duty, arguing it would curb excessive imports and strengthen the naira. (TheCable)
Kenyan Retailer Naivas Charts Steady Growth
Naivas, a leading supermarket chain in Kenya, plans to almost double its outlets from 111 to 200, targeting the opening of around 10 new stores annually. (Ecofin Agency)
The company, which saw a 21.6 percent revenue increase in FY 2025 to approximately $885 million and a 43 percent rise in net profit, is focusing on domestic expansion rather than regional for now. (Ecofin Agency)
Naivas’ strategy leans into Kenya’s rapid urbanisation and growing consumer demand, particularly in underserved areas. (Ecofin Agency)
Climate & Energy
French Development Financier Boosts Kenyan Wind Power
Proparco, the French development finance institution, has taken an equity stake in the 100 MW Kipeto Wind Farm in Kenya, in partnership with Meridiam. (proparco.fr)
Located about 70 km south of Nairobi, Kipeto has been operating commercially since 2021, generating roughly 432 GWh annually — enough to power about 250,000 households. (proparco.fr)
The investment is expected to avoid over 200,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year, support more than 500 jobs, and channel profits into community development projects for the surrounding Maasai communities. (proparco.fr)
Geopolitics & Policy
South Sudan Power Shift: Bol Mel Dismissed
President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has dismissed Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel, removing him from his party leadership role and demoting his military rank from general to private. (Reuters)
Bol Mel, once considered a potential successor to Kiir, has been under U.S. sanctions for corruption, and his firing fuels speculation over power struggles and succession dynamics. (AP News)
No immediate successor was named, heightening uncertainty in a country still haunted by fragile peace legacies. (Africanews)
Kenya Moves to Curb E-Waste with Electronics Age Ban
Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is proposing a ban on importing electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) over 12 years old from the date of manufacture. (Business Daily)
The draft regulation targets TVs, refrigerators, smartphones, and other items, aiming to stem e-waste and reduce exposure to toxic materials. (Business Daily)
Under the plan, importers would need to submit detailed manifests (including manufacture dates and functionality reports) and non-compliant goods would be blocked at key ports and border points. (Business Daily)
Tech & Deals
AfDB Lends $100 Million to Boost Infrastructure
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $100 million loan to the Emerging Africa and Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF), managed by Ninety One, to finance sustainable infrastructure across Africa. (African Development Bank)
The funding will help catalyze private investment into sectors such as renewable energy, transport, and digital connectivity, and is part of the EAAIF’s broader capital-raising ambition. (EBCAM)
Discovery Bank to Enable Crypto Trading in App
South Africa’s Discovery Bank is launching integrated crypto-trading capabilities in its mobile app, via a partnership with Luno. (Mynewsdesk)
Starting December 2025, customers will be able to buy, hold, and sell more than 50 crypto assets (including Bitcoin and Ethereum) directly through the app. (Mynewsdesk)
Additional innovations include a real-time AI-driven transaction alert system (“TRUST Alert”), instant in-app motor insurance quotes, and rewards via the Discovery Miles+ Network. (Channel Africa)
Security & Human Rights
Sudan: UN Considers Fact-Finding Mission After Darfur Clashes
The U.N. Human Rights Council has convened an emergency session to debate a fact-finding mission into alleged mass killings, ethnic violence, and use of rape by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in al-Fashir, Darfur. (Reuters)
A draft resolution condemns ethnically motivated violence and seeks to identify perpetrators but stops short of investigating external actors who might be supporting the RSF — a point criticized by Sudan’s mission to the U.N. (Reuters)
Paramilitary Advance in Sudan Raises Displacement Fears
After consolidating control in Darfur, the RSF is reportedly turning its attention east, with new deployments and drone strikes in Kordofan — a strategically significant region. (Reuters)
The town of Bara in North Kordofan, recently seized by the RSF, is a key link between Darfur and central Sudan; the army had regained it just months earlier. (Reuters)
According to the International Organization for Migration, up to 50,000 people have been displaced since the escalation. (Reuters)
Child Labour Crisis Deepens in South Sudan
A new national survey by Save the Children and South Sudan’s Ministry of Labour reveals that 64 percent of children aged 5–17 are engaged in hazardous or coercive labour, including mining, herding, and association with armed groups. (Reuters)
In some states, over 90% of children are working instead of attending school — a stark reflection of how hunger, conflict, and poverty fuel exploitation. (Reuters)
More than 7.7 million people in South Sudan face acute food insecurity, with 2.3 million children under five at risk of malnutrition, according to UN data. (Reuters)
Kidnapping Ransom Drives Mali Insurgent Finances
Mali’s jihadist group, JNIM, is reportedly raising significant funds through high-profile kidnappings, including that of a UAE royal involved in gold trading. (Reuters)
Between May and October 2025, at least 22 foreign nationals were abducted — almost double the previous regional record — with a reported ransom payment of at least $50 million. (Reuters)
Analysts say these ransom schemes are now central to JNIM’s “economic jihad,” helping sustain its operations and deter foreign investment. (Reuters)
Ivory Coast Tightens Border as Malian Refugees Flee Militants
Ivory Coast is reinforcing its border security in response to a surge of refugees crossing from Mali, fleeing attacks by jihadist groups. (Reuters)
The government attributes the influx to increased targeting of civilians by armed militants in southern Mali, including assaults on fuel trucks. (Reuters)
Ivory Coast already hosts large refugee populations, including about 90,000 people from Burkina Faso, raising humanitarian and security challenges. (Reuters)
War Crimes Trial Opens in France over Eastern DRC Conflict
Former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala has gone on trial in Paris, charged with complicity in crimes against humanity linked to the Second Congo War (1998–2003). (Reuters)
He is accused of allowing his militia to commit widespread abuses — including killings, rape, and targeting of ethnic pygmies — under his command. (Reuters)
Human rights groups hope the trial sets a precedent for accountability and deters future abuses in the mineral-rich, war-torn eastern DRC. (Reuters)
Cameroon Rights Groups Challenge Official Death Toll
Rights organisations in Cameroon dispute the government’s reported 16 fatalities during post-election protests, insisting the true toll could be nearly double. (Reuters)
Philippe Nanga, a local activist, claims around 30 people were killed and that security forces removed bodies from morgues. (Reuters)
Opposition parties and Human Rights Watch have offered even higher estimates, raising concerns over transparency and repression. (Reuters)
Gabon’s Former First Lady Sentenced in Absentia
A special criminal court in Gabon has sentenced Sylvia Bongo (former first lady) and her son, Noureddin Valentin, to 20 years in prison for embezzlement, money laundering, and other financial crimes. (Reuters)
The court also issued arrest warrants and ordered repayment of substantial damages, accusing them of misusing public funds. (Reuters)
Critics argue the trial was politically driven: the Bongo family dynasty ended after a 2023 coup, and Valentin has called the verdict “a formality.” (Reuters)
