🇸🇳 Senegal Bans Ministers from Foreign Travel as Oil Price Surge Strains Public Finances

Senegal's government has banned cabinet ministers from travelling abroad as rising fuel costs put severe pressure on state finances. The cost of fuel has reached nearly double what the government had budgeted, compounding fiscal difficulties across public institutions.

The austerity measure reflects the wider economic strain facing Dakar as global oil prices continue to climb amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

#Senegal

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇷🇼 Kagame Says US Sanctions Are Insults Hurled at Rwanda, Refuses to Back Down on Eastern DRC

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has rejected US sanctions against Kigali, calling them insults, and refused to lift what he described as Rwanda's defensive measures in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In an exclusive interview, Kagame pushed responsibility for the continued conflict onto Kinshasa, Washington and the broader international community, four months after a peace agreement was signed.

War continues to rage in eastern DRC despite the deal, with Kagame stating he would not stand down while President Félix Tshisekedi, in his words, does whatever he wants.

#Rwanda #DRC #Congo

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇺🇬 Uganda's Army Chief Muhoozi Detains Senior Military Officers in Anti-Corruption Drive

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of President Yoweri Museveni and commander of the Ugandan army, has detained multiple senior military officers on corruption charges. The detentions are described as unprecedented in the 40 years of Museveni's rule, with no prior instance of so many high-ranking officers being held simultaneously.

The move appears to consolidate Muhoozi's authority within the armed forces and signals an intensification of anti-corruption enforcement at the top levels of the military establishment.

#Uganda

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe's Ban on Second-Hand Clothing Imports Threatens Poorest Households

Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF government has introduced a ban on the importation of second-hand goods, including clothing, as part of a push to boost the country's struggling textile manufacturing sector. Analysts warn the policy will have devastating consequences for the informal economy, which millions of low-income Zimbabweans depend on for affordable clothing.

The ban disproportionately affects the country's poorest citizens, who rely heavily on second-hand markets as a primary source of affordable goods.

#Zimbabwe

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Nigeria's Tinubu Approves Payment of N3.3 Trillion in Decade-Old Debt to 15 Power Plants

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has approved the payment of N3.3 trillion in outstanding debts owed to 15 power plants, covering obligations accumulated between 2015 and 2016. The federal government said the move is aimed at restoring stable electricity supply across the country.

Nigeria has long faced chronic power shortages, with frequent nationwide blackouts severely affecting households and businesses. The debt settlement is being presented as a key step toward ending the persistent electricity crisis.

#Nigeria

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇺🇸🇺🇬 US Deports Eight People of African Origin to Uganda in Controversial Transfer

The United States has deported eight individuals described as being of African origin to Uganda, in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from legal bodies in the country. The Uganda Law Society condemned the deportations, stating they were illegal and dehumanising.

The transfer is part of a broader pattern of US deportation arrangements with African governments, following a similar deal confirmed this week by the Democratic Republic of Congo to receive third-country nationals expelled by Washington.

#Uganda

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇨🇲 Cameroon's Biya Appoints Son as Vice President and Head of Armed Forces

Cameroon President Paul Biya has appointed his son, Franck Emmanuel Biya, to three of the country's most powerful positions: Vice President of the Republic, Head of the Armed Forces, and Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Defence. The move marks a sweeping consolidation of executive and military authority within the Biya family.

Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, has long faced questions about succession. The appointments signal a potential dynastic transfer of power in one of Central Africa's longest-running presidencies.

#Cameroon

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇸🇴 Somalia Set for Historic First Offshore Oil Drilling as Turkish Ship Approaches

A Turkish government-owned drilling ship is expected to arrive in Somali waters later this week to carry out what officials describe as Somalia's first-ever offshore oil drilling operation. The development marks a significant milestone for the country's nascent energy sector.

Somalia has long been considered to hold substantial offshore hydrocarbon reserves, but decades of instability have prevented any commercial exploration from taking place.

#Somalia

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇸🇴 Somalia President Joins Baidoa Rally Backing One-Person-One-Vote Elections

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attended a large public gathering in Baidoa on Monday where women from Somalia's Southwest region voiced support for the introduction of one-person-one-vote elections. The rally was organised by civic groups backing the government's electoral reform agenda.

Somalia has historically relied on a clan-based indirect voting system. The push for universal suffrage represents one of the most significant proposed democratic reforms in the country's recent history.

#Somalia

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Nigerian Christian Group Disputes Army Rescue Claim After Kaduna Church Attack

A Nigerian Christian organisation on Monday disputed the army's assertion that it had rescued 31 people abducted by armed men during an attack in northern Kaduna state, stating that the victims remained in captivity. The group contradicted the military's official account of the incident without providing an alternative figure for those still held.

Kaduna state in northern Nigeria has experienced repeated attacks on farming communities and places of worship in recent years, with armed groups carrying out killings and mass abductions.

#Nigeria

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇨🇩 DR Congo Agrees to Accept Deportees from the United States

The Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to begin receiving deportees from the United States starting this month, though Kinshasa has not disclosed how many individuals it will accept. The agreement marks a shift in the DRC's posture toward US immigration enforcement policy.

The deal comes as the Trump administration intensifies its global deportation efforts, pressing African governments to accept nationals removed from US territory.

#DRCongo

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇩🇯 Djibouti's Guelleh Expected to Win Sixth Presidential Term After Age Limits Removed

Djibouti held a presidential election on Friday with incumbent Ismael Omar Guelleh widely expected to extend his 27-year rule into a sixth term. Parliament previously removed age limits that would have barred the 78-year-old from standing again, clearing the path for his continued presidency.

Guelleh has governed Djibouti since 1999. The country holds significant strategic value due to its position on the Horn of Africa and hosts military bases for several foreign powers, including the United States, France, and China.

#Djibouti

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇸🇩 UN Condemns Drone Strike on Sudan Wedding That Killed 30 People

United Nations Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric condemned a drone strike in Sudan on Thursday that killed 30 people attending a wedding. The UN called for an immediate end to hostilities following the attack.

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023, with repeated attacks on civilian gatherings documented by international observers.

#Sudan

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Brigadier General and Several Soldiers Killed in ISWAP and Boko Haram Attack on Nigerian Base

Islamist militant groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province launched coordinated overnight attacks on multiple locations in Nigeria's northeastern Borno state, killing a brigadier general and several other soldiers. The Nigerian military said the assault on the military base was ultimately repelled.

Northeastern Nigeria has faced persistent jihadist insurgency for over a decade, with Borno state remaining the epicentre of violence carried out by both ISWAP and Boko Haram factions.

#Nigeria

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇺🇸🇳🇬 US Orders Non-Emergency Staff to Leave Abuja, Cancels All Visa Appointments

The United States has authorised non-emergency embassy staff to depart Abuja on security grounds and cancelled all visa appointments at its Nigerian mission, directing applicants to check their emails for information on rescheduled dates. The State Department also issued a travel advisory urging American citizens to reconsider travel to Nigeria.

The measures come amid heightened security concerns in Nigeria, where jihadist attacks in the northeast have intensified, including a recent assault that killed a senior army officer.

#Nigeria #UnitedStates

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇺🇸🇿🇦 US Admits 4,499 Refugees Since October — All But Three Are South African Afrikaners

The United States has admitted 4,499 refugees since October, with all but three being white South African Afrikaners, according to data cited by the BBC. President Donald Trump has prioritised the group, describing them as victims of persecution, a characterisation the South African government has strongly rejected.

South Africa has objected to the framing of Afrikaners as refugees, arguing the characterisation misrepresents conditions in the country and undermines its sovereignty.

#SouthAfrica #UnitedStates

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇳🇦 Namibia Says Genocide Declaration With Germany Could Be Concluded Before End of 2026

Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced during her State of the Nation Address that a joint declaration between Namibia and Germany regarding the 1904–1908 Ovaherero and Nama genocide is now within reach and could be finalised before the end of the year. The address also covered priorities in education, energy, investment, and agriculture.

Negotiations between Namibia and Germany over the genocide, in which tens of thousands of Ovaherero and Nama people were killed under German colonial rule, have been ongoing for years, with a 2021 agreement previously rejected by affected communities as insufficient.

#Namibia #Germany

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇲🇦🇪🇺 Morocco and EU Sign AI Cooperation Deals, Aim to Build Third Voice in Global Artificial Intelligence

The European Union and Morocco signed a series of agreements at the GITEX conference in Marrakech aimed at deepening cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and technology startups. The EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue was formally launched, with four European supercomputing centres partnering with Morocco's Mohammed VI University, home to Africa's most powerful supercomputer. The two sides are also advancing the Medusa Optical Fibre Cable project, which will connect Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia with several European countries.

Morocco's Minister for Digital Transition Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni said the partnership seeks to establish a third model in global AI governance, distinct from the United States and Chinese approaches, grounded in shared values around data protection and cloud sovereignty.

#Morocco #EU

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Nigeria Concludes ₦4.65 Trillion Bank Recapitalisation Programme

Nigeria's Central Bank has concluded a bank recapitalisation programme that saw 33 banks raise a combined ₦4.65 trillion, equivalent to approximately $3.38 billion, in new capital by the March 31, 2026 deadline. The CBN said 72.55% of the capital was sourced domestically, with the remaining 27.45% coming from international markets. CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso said the programme has reinforced the resilience of the financial system.

Launched in March 2024, the programme introduced differentiated capital requirements based on the operational scope of each bank, with institutions holding international licences required to raise 500 billion naira. A small number of banks remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes.

#Nigeria

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe to Lift Lithium Export Freeze Under Strict Local Processing Conditions

Zimbabwe has issued a new compliance roadmap that ties the granting of lithium export permits to binding commitments on local processing and adherence to strict export quotas. The framework signals a partial lifting of the country's lithium export freeze, which had been put in place to push miners toward value-added processing within the country.

Zimbabwe holds some of the largest lithium reserves in Africa and has sought to leverage its deposits to develop a domestic battery and electric vehicle supply chain, positioning itself as a key player in the global energy transition.

#Zimbabwe

🔸 Source

@africaintel

🌍 African Startups Raise $705 Million in First Quarter of 2026, Up 26.5% Year-on-Year

African startups raised $705 million across 59 deals in 14 countries during the first three months of 2026, representing a 26.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025, according to data compiled by Condia and TechCabal Insights. Egypt led all markets with $190 million in disclosed funding, followed by South Africa at $157 million, Kenya at $94 million, Nigeria at $78 million, and Morocco at $48 million. Fintech was the dominant sector, attracting $221 million, while energy drew $141 million and logistics $149 million.

The figures point to a broadening of investment beyond traditional hubs, with cities including Dakar, Addis Ababa, and Tunis drawing growing attention from venture capital investors, and Japanese investors emerging as a notable new presence in African startup funding.

#Africa

🔸 Source

@africaintel