Starting 1 January 2026 flights in West Africa will become cheaper as ECOWAS removes air transport taxes and cuts passenger and security charges by 25%. This change will make travel within the region easier and more affordable.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, has launched a ₦1 trillion ($640 million) scholarship plan in Lagos, Nigeria 🇳🇬. It is described as the largest private-sector education support effort in the country’s history.

Benin has asked Togo to extradite Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, the leader of the December 7 failed coup After escaping a manhunt in Cotonou, he is said to be hiding in Lomé, near President Faure Gnassingbé's home Togo has not confirmed his presence, raising concerns and tensions in West Africa.

Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼 opposition is asking ECOWAS to step in and protect democracy, like it did in Benin 🇧🇯, where forces helped stop a failed coup. They want the election results, delayed by a coup, to be announced. ECOWAS has declared a state of emergency in West Africa after several coups.

Ghana 🇬🇭 has deported three Israeli nationals after Israel sent back three Ghanaians despite them having valid visas. Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the country will deport one Israeli for every Ghanaian returned, calling it a tit-for-tat response.

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 President Captain Ibrahim Traoré has handed over 204 earthmoving machines to the Faso Mêbo Presidential Initiative and the Military Engineering Corps. The machines include bulldozers, rollers, loaders, pavers, excavators, trucks, sweepers, drills, and air compressors.

Uganda 🇺🇬 state-owned Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) has completed a major milestone as its Kayoola Electric Coach 2025 arrived in Cape Town, South Africa 🇿🇦 after a 13,000+ km trip through six African countries. The journey began in Kampala, Uganda 🇺🇬 and lasted 15 days.

South Africa’s 🇿🇦 3rd largest city, Durban will get a new R1 billion (about $59 million) amusement park by 2027, replacing the old Funworld on the Golden Mile. The plan includes roller coasters, VR zones, family rides, and food courts to boost tourism and refresh the beachfront.

The Moroccan Caftan 🇲🇦 was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2025. This honor recognizes its skilled craftsmanship, traditional methods, and deep cultural meaning passed down through generations.

France assisted Benin 🇧🇯 in stopping Sunday’s coup by providing intelligence and logistical help, the French presidency said. France also shared information with Nigeria 🇳🇬, which sent fighter jets and troops to support Benin after its request.

US President Trump stated that he helped push a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 🇨🇩 and Rwanda 🇷🇼. He claimed DRC officials asked for U.S. involvement in their minerals, saying “Please please we would love you to come and take our minerals,” and he replied “which I will do.”

South African businesses 🇿🇦 can now pay Chinese suppliers directly in yuan instead of using the US dollar. This follows Standard Bank becoming the first African bank to connect to China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), cutting costs, delays, and dollar-related risks for importers.

Burundi 🇧🇮 said Rwanda 🇷🇼 dropped bombs on its land near the DRC border, injuring two people, including a child. Burundi called it a "provocation it cannot accept" but said it is not part of the conflicts in eastern DRC and supports regional peace. Rwanda has not responded.

Eleven Nigerian 🇳🇬 soldiers are being held in Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 after their C-130 plane made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso. AES members —Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso say the jet entered their airspace without permission.

TikTok has temporarily limited its LIVE feature in Nigeria 🇳🇬 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. This comes after a rise in adult content and explicit acts during late-night streams. TikTok says this is part of its safety checks to protect users and make sure community rules are followed.

Under Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s leadership, Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 has taken full control of the local operations of the French-owned fuel company TotalEnergies. The fuel stations and related assets have been renamed “Barka Energies”.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the immediate deployment of standby forces from Nigeria 🇳🇬, Ghana 🇬🇭, Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 and Côte d'Ivoire 🇨🇮 to support Benin’s 🇧🇯 government and army in protecting constitutional order and national security.

A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet was reportedly deployed to Benin skies while a coup was unfolding. Nigeria has called back its jets after determining that the security situation had returned to stability, following a brief and unsuccessful coup attempt that saw 13 soldiers arrested.

Conflicting reports have emerged from Benin 🇧🇯 regarding an alleged coup attempt. Mutinous soldiers announced the ousting of President Patrice Talon, declaring the closure of borders and the suspension of the constitution.

Aliko Dangote 🇳🇬, Africa's richest man, says his company plans to become the world's largest fertilizer producer in three years. The Dangote Group will increase urea production from 3 million to 12 million tonnes a year.

Zambia 🇿🇲 has approved a 1.1-billion-dollar oil refinery that could change its energy sector and support fuel supply in the region. The project is a partnership with a Chinese company, and construction is expected to start soon. The first phase of operations is planned for 2026.

Fès, Morocco 🇲🇦 is ready to host the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 As one of the six host cities, Fès offers the upgraded Complexe Sportif de Fès with 45,000 seats for exciting matches.

Uganda 🇺🇬 has stopped giving refugee status to new arrivals from Eritrea, Somalia, and Ethiopia. The government says this change is because of low funding from international partners and because these countries are not in active war situations anymore.

The first game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the same as the 2010 opener: South Africa 🇿🇦 vs Mexico 🇲🇽 The tournament starts on June 11, with joint host Mexico facing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which also hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals.

The first game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the same as the 2010 opener: South Africa 🇿🇦 vs Mexico 🇲🇽 The tournament starts on June 11, with joint host Mexico facing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which also hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals.

South Africa 🇿🇦 Afrikaners will be the main, if not only, group eligible for refugee status in the USA under Trump’s new policies. The annual refugee cap is cut to 7,500, with migration from all “third world countries” paused to restructure the system.

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud 🇸🇴 responded at an innovation forum in Mogadishu, saying Somalia has made real progress and should not be judged by old, negative views.

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi 🇨🇩 and Rwandan President Paul Kagame 🇷🇼 signed a peace deal in the US today. The ceremony was hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump The Washington Accords aim to end decades of conflict in eastern DRC by addressing the root causes of instability.

Guinea-Bissau’s 🇬🇼 election commission says it cannot finish the November 23 presidential vote because armed men stole ballots and tally sheets from its offices. Army officers then took control on November 26, one day before the commission was expected to announce the disputed results.

South Africa 🇿🇦 has announced it will “take a break” from G20 activities during the U.S. presidency in 2026, after the U.S. chose not to invite it to G20 events. The break will last until the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 takes over as host of the 2027 G20 summit.

Kenyan President William Ruto 🇰🇪, Rwandan President Paul Kagame 🇷🇼, and DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi 🇨🇩 have arrived in Washington, D.C. U.S. President Donald Trump invited them for the signing of the DRC–Rwanda peace deal. The event will be Thursday at the White House.

Burundi 🇧🇮 President Evariste Ndayishimiye announced a new sports arena will be built in Bujumbura next to Intwari Stadium. The arena will help young people play basketball, volleyball, handball, and may host concerts.

Starting in 2026, Ghana 🇬🇭 will build a 1,200MW state-owned thermal power plant. It will use an extra 150 million cubic feet of natural gas daily from the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) project and the second Gas Processing Plant (GPP 2).

The President of Burkina Faso 🇧🇫, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, received his Biometric Identification Card of the Confederation of the Sahel States (CIB-AES), officially launching it in the country.

Starting in 2026, Rwandan 🇷🇼 students can study for bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Brazilian 🇧🇷 public universities with tuition fully paid. The program strengthens ties between the two countries.

Egypt 🇪🇬 is building one of the world’s biggest port projects at Al-Sakhna Port. When finished, it will be the largest port on the Red Sea, costing over $1.05 billion ( 50 billion Egyptian pounds ).

Nigeria 🇳🇬 is Africa’s top crude oil exporter to the USA. From January to August 2025, Nigeria exported $2.57 billion of crude oil to the U.S., sending 33.23 million barrels. This made up 55% of all African oil imports to the U.S.

Rwandan 🇷🇼 President Paul Kagame spoke against the fast growth of churches in the country, saying some exploit people for money instead of helping communities. He said they do little to fight problems like war and unemployment. Around 4,000 churches were closed last year for breaking rules.

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 has sent more than 200 fuel tankers to Mali 🇲🇱 to support the country during its fuel crisis as part of AES solidarity. The total aid now exceeds 280 tankers, easing shortages in Bamako and other areas. This comes after Niger 🇳🇪 earlier sent about 82 tankers.

An old petition to cancel Elon Musk’s U.S. citizenship and send him back to South Africa 🇿🇦 has resurfaced online as he becomes more active in U.S. politics. The petition says his massive wealth and growing political influence could harm U.S. democracy.

Burundi 🇧🇮 President Evariste Ndayishimiye has opened East Africa Textile Manufactures, the first local clothing factory specializing in making police uniforms, military uniforms, and custom uniforms for individuals and companies.

This is not the UEFA Champions League; it’s Africa’s top club football competition, the CAF Champions League ⚽ Amazing atmosphere during the group stage! 📸 JS Kabylie 🇩🇿 vs Young Africans 🇹🇿 in Algeria 📸 MC Alger 🇩🇿 vs Mamelodi Sundowns 🇿🇦 in Algeria 📸 AS FAR Rabat 🇲🇦 vs Al Ahly 🇪🇬 in Morocco

South Africa's Limpopo will get a new smart city. The Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality has launched the $409 million Lebowakgomo Smart City on 160 hectares. Built around the Lebowakgomo Business Area, it will create thousands of jobs, over 500 new businesses, and modern urban infrastructure.

Ethiopia 🇪🇹 will host the 96th INTERPOL General Assembly in 2028 in Addis Ababa. This annual meeting brings representatives from all 196 member countries to discuss global security issues like cybercrime, terrorism, and organized crime.

The recent coup in Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼 has been called staged by opposition groups and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. It happened just before election results when opposition leader Fernando Dias da Costa was reportedly ahead.

Kenya 🇰🇪 has partnered with two Chinese firms on a $1.5 billion highway expansion to improve transport links from Mombasa to western Kenya and neighboring states. The project replaces a previously cancelled U.S.-backed plan. Construction is set to begin soon, with completion targeted for 2027.

Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼 ousted president Umaro Sissoco Embaló fled to Senegal 🇸🇳 with his family after being freed from detention following a military takeover. He reached Dakar on a flight arranged by Senegal after ECOWAS intervened.

Ghana 🇬🇭 and Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 agreed on free roaming, allowing citizens traveling between the two countries to get calls, send messages, and use data at local rates with no extra fees.

Tanzania 🇹🇿 President Samia Suluhu Hassan is going viral after reports that several top government jobs were given to people close to her: Minister of Finance – her brother-in-law Minister of Health – her son-in-law Deputy Minister of Education – her daughter Special Seat MP – her daughter

Army General Horta N'Tam has been sworn in as Guinea-Bissau’s transitional president, one day after military officers said they had taken power His transition rule is set to last 1 year The military has stopped the election process and paused the release of results from Sunday’s presidential vote.