The first acceptance firing of the M51.3 strategic ballistic missile from the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Le Vigilant did not unfold in a quiet strategic vacuum. It landed squarely in the middle…
Month: October 2026
Gabon’s poultry import ban: the fallout, the debate and what comes next
With less than three months to go before Gabon’s ban on imports of broiler chicken takes effect on 1 January 2027, Libreville and Washington are squaring off in the arena of international…
Digital drive in Burkina Faso faces backlash as security and schooling take a back seat
As Ouagadougou glows with the colours of the National Days of Patriotic Commitment and Citizen Participation (JEPPC), the transitional government rolls out its full communication machinery. The “Allée des services au peuple”…
Senegal floods after Sonko: the reckoning, the backlash, and what Al Amine Lô inherits
By Martin Ngu — Journalist
Cotonou port expansion: what the transit surge means for West Africa’s trade future
The recent surge in activity at the Port of Cotonou has ignited a lively debate across West Africa about the region’s trade future and Benin’s role in it. With transit traffic climbing…
Spain’s housing crisis: political fallout and what happens after parliament’s rejection
Political uncertainty deepens after parliament rejects housing measures Spain has been thrown into a fresh period of political uncertainty after parliament rejected a set of proposed measures aimed at improving access to…
Cameroon-Nigeria trade corridor after the security turnaround: reactions, ripple effects and what lies ahead
Since 2019, commercial activity has gradually returned to the routes linking northern Nigeria with Cameroon’s Far North. The improved security situation along this strategic corridor has allowed transporters to get back on…
Niger’s uranium: has Niamey actually secured better terms after Orano?
A strategic break, but no proven price gains Since the July 2023 coup, Niger has moved decisively away from Orano, the French company that ran its uranium operations for over fifty years….
Algeria’s Cotonou deal room bid meets west africa’s closed-border reality
Cotonou deal room puts Algeria’s african economic ambitions to the test A multisector Algerian delegation took part in the Benin Deal Room 2026, held in Cotonou from 16 to 18 September, in…
Nigerian air force ATR-42 goes down near Igbokoda with 32 aboard
Military transport aircraft lost on routine Benin City–Lagos flight An ATR-42 belonging to the Nigerian Air Force crashed on Monday 5 October in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State, south-western Nigeria. Early…
Burkina Faso’s transit hits one million tonnes at Cotonou port in 2025
The diplomatic standoff between Benin and Niger has redrawn the map of regional trade, yet the port of Cotonou has not lost its momentum. Instead, the Beninese platform has gradually redirected part…
Benin secures 65.5 billion CFA francs in fresh financing for power, farming and health
Benin and France have signed a package of financing commitments worth a combined 65.5 billion CFA francs, aimed at backing major projects in three priority sectors: electricity, agriculture and health. The agreements…