The abrupt downfall of one of Niger’s most powerful generals isn’t just a military shake-up—it’s sending shockwaves through everyday life, business operations, and the national economy. General Moussa Salaou Barmou, once a central figure in Niamey’s ruling junta, has been placed under house arrest following his removal as Chief ofContinue Reading
Three tripartite agreements signed in Lomé on 11 September have set a process in motion whose consequences will reach far beyond the negotiating table. Benin, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso and the UN refugee agency have laid down a framework to prepare the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Burkinabè whoContinue Reading
Four ministries changed hands in Niamey within hours, wrapped up in a presidential decree and presented as an ordinary administrative refresh. For the millions of Nigeriens living with the fallout, it is anything but ordinary. The Niger post-coup purge triggered by the aborted takeover of 28-29 August has now reachedContinue Reading
The official inauguration of the Thomas Sankara mausoleum in Ouagadougou on 17 May 2025 marked a defining moment in Burkina Faso’s public memory. Yet beyond the ceremonial grandeur, the event raised pressing questions about the real-world impact on those who lived the history firsthand. The families of the deceased, theContinue Reading
At least 48 civilians were killed when a military helicopter belonging to the Algerian air force bombed an artisanal gold-mining site in the desert strip that separates Niger from Algeria. The strike, carried out in full daylight, has plunged the region into grief — and exposed a political truth thatContinue Reading
One morning on the edge of Gao, in northern Mali, ended with 167 civilians dead and more than 127 motorbikes reduced to charred metal. The killings, carried out along the Niger river, are being attributed to the Russian mercenaries of Africa Corps — the force that took over from WagnerContinue Reading
Digitalisation du foncier au Gabon : le Ministre de l’Économie rejoint le protocole avec SNEDAI GROUPE par · 15 septembre 2026 éorte sur la mise en place d’un système foncier et cadastral entièrement informatisé, sécurisé et interconnecté. L’objectif est notamment de fiabiliser les données, d’améliorer la localisation des parcelles, deContinue Reading
Long paraded as the definitive proof that Niger had reclaimed command of its own mineral wealth, the running of the Société des mines de l’Aïr (SOMAÏR) by an entirely local workforce has instead ended in an industrial shipwreck. The finance ministry’s latest economic outlook note records a brutal 83.3 percentContinue Reading
Monday 14 September 2026 has gone down as the day classrooms across Benin opened their doors again. From urban centres to the most remote localities, schools have resumed their usual rhythm, with learners and teachers reporting back for duty. The start of this academic year comes at a moment whenContinue Reading
The price of holding Niger’s pump prices still Keeping fuel affordable at the pump has a price, and Niger’s public accounts are now showing it. Fresh projections from the International Monetary Fund place the Société nationale des pétroles du Niger (SONIDEP) on course for a net loss of 28 billionContinue Reading
Presented as a flagship of economic sovereignty and homegrown industrialisation, the TEXFORCES-BF textile venture has drawn enthusiastic backing from Burkina Faso’s authorities. Strip away the ceremonial optimism, however, and the way the scheme is financed — together with the conditions surrounding its rollout — raises serious questions. Money pulled straightContinue Reading
Algerian prime minister Sifi Grine travelled to Bamako on Monday for an official visit that put him side by side with the man steering Mali, army general Assimi Goïta. The setting was the Koulouba palace, and the message was crafted to look like a turning point for two neighbouring SahelContinue Reading