African markets and business updates

Bitter medicine has been the hallmark of the first term of Bola Tinubu, but can the promise of better days secure re-election? On 19 August 2026, as campaigning formally began for Nigeria's January 2027 presidential elections, finance minister Taiwo Oyedele held a briefing to deliver the government's economic scorecard. Having pushed through some of the toughest economic reforms in recent Nigerian history since taking office, the administration of President Bola Tinubu is keen to control the narrative ahead of the coming vote. Oyedele argued that Tinubu's administration had pulled the country back from the brink of a fiscal disaster.…

With El Niño rains forecast for October to December 2026, the Kenya Defence Forces is strengthening its emergency medical capacity to support national response efforts when local health services come under pressure. Floods do more than damage homes. They block access to clinics, contaminate water, and push families into crowded camps where diseases such as cholera spread quickly. Kenya has already seen the cost this year. Flooding during the March to May long rains affected 27 counties, triggered landslides in Tharaka-Nithi, Elgeyo-Marakwet and Kiambu, and cut communities off from essential services. In May 122 deaths and more than 42,000 people were affected.…

Professional military education has become an important instrument of defence diplomacy, enabling defence forces to exchange strategic perspectives, share operational experience and build relationships that strengthen collective responses to evolving security challenges. On 28 September 2026, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) hosted a 25-member delegation from the Zambia Command and Staff College for a study tour in Nairobi, reinforcing military-to-military cooperation and professional knowledge exchange between Kenya and Zambia. Led by Colonel Charles Chembo, the delegation paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces (VCDF), Lieutenant General John Omenda, at Defence Headquarters.…

The President made the call today during a meeting with a Japanese delegation led by Ambassador Takahashi Misako, Director General and Assistant Minister for the African Affairs Department at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at State House, Entebbe. The discussions focused on strengthening Uganda-Japan bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, energy, investment, education, health, youth development and other areas of mutual interest. President Museveni commended Japan for its support to Uganda’s infrastructure development, citing projects such as the Kampala Flyover and Karuma Bridge. “Thank you for the support like the flyover and Karuma Bridge,” President Museveni said.…

OCHA reports that despite the severe impact of drone attacks and armed clashes across Sudan , the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to provide life-saving support to people in need. This includes efforts to detect, prevent and treat cholera. WHO has reported a sharp decline in cholera cases in recent weeks. The agency had prepositioned 60 metric tons of cholera supplies across Sudan – enough to support treatment for about 120,000 cases. WHO also strengthened disease surveillance, trained front-line health workers, and supported cholera treatment centres and oral rehydration points.…

To mark World Rabies Day, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Regional Animal Health Centre Bissau (RAHC), is calling on Member States, human and animal health services, local authorities, communities and partners to step up their joint efforts to prevent and eliminate human deaths from Rabies. Celebrated this year under the theme ‘Stronger Together’, this day serves as a reminder that the elimination of rabies is a collective responsibility requiring coordinated action in line with the ‘One Health’ approach.…

Aid teams trying to keep deadly Ebola disease from spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are increasingly concerned about ongoing fighting and violence that has forced thousands of people to flee a displacement camp in the vast, resource-rich east of the country. The latest alert follows reports of security incidents since 20 September linked to an uptick in families fleeing Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, northeast Ituri province. According to reports, soldiers entered the site searching for weapons and people suspected of belonging to non-State armed groups. Gunshots were also heard.…

For families living along the border between Nigeria and Niger, crossing between the two countries is part of everyday life. People visit relatives, trade in local markets and move with their livestock in search of water and pasture. This movement can interrupt childhood vaccination and delay the detection of disease outbreaks, increasing the risk of infections spreading between communities. When Aisha Iliyasu brought her 2-year-old son to a vaccination post near the Nigeria–Niger border, she was concerned that months of travelling with the family’s livestock had caused him to miss routine vaccinations.…

Sport continues to demonstrate its vital role in fostering trust, building resilience, and creating meaningful connections between security agencies and local communities. In Elwak Town, this spirit came to life when Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops, based at Elwak Base, organized and participated in a friendly football tournament involving fellow security personnel and local youth teams. The event brought together six teams: Elwak Airstrip Base, Elwak Old Camp, Elwak Chinese Camp, Elwak National Police Service (NPS), Elwak North Youth Football Team, and Elwak South Youth Football Team. The matches were competitive and entertaining, showcasing teamwork, discipline, and sporting spirit.…

The MSGBC basin is moving from frontier exploration toward commercial gas production, and the investment conversation is shifting with it. The CEO Regional Leadership Panel at MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 – “Is MSGBC the Next Global Gas Hotspot?” – will bring together senior executives from international oil companies and energy investors to examine the forces driving capital into the region’s gas sector. The panel will also explore how MSGBC countries can compete for a larger share of global investment by monetizing the basin’s emerging gas resources. The basin now has a producing track record to support its monetization ambitions.…