What happened in Mali’s central regions The Malian military and its allied forces experienced severe setbacks this month after coordinated jihadist assaults struck Dioura and Sévaré—two strategic towns in the country’s restive…
Author: Martin Ngu
Journalist
Mali and the Sahel: how jihadist attacks are squeezing civilians, trade and the AES economies
In Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, the promise of a military reconquest is colliding with consequences that ordinary people can measure in their own lives: shuttered markets, unsafe roads, disrupted harvests and…
Mali faces dual challenge: escalation against jihadists amid renewed calls for national unity
In a tense Independence Day address, Mali’s transitional leader General Assimi Goïta outlined a dual strategy: a stepped-up military campaign against armed jihadist groups and an urgent appeal for national reconciliation. The…
Cameroon’s escalating security crisis: what Atonfack Guemo’s warning means for businesses and citizens
Cameroon’s escalating security crisis: what Atonfack Guemo’s warning means for businesses and citizens The director of communications at Cameroon’s Ministry of Defense has issued a stark warning about the growing security threats…
Mali’s 514 billion FCFA Russian mercenary bill: the tab that households, businesses and public services are picking up
Mali’s reliance on Russian paramilitary muscle has long since stopped being an abstract line in a defence ledger. It now shows up in darkened neighbourhoods, in traders whose goods never reach the…
Benin’s 2026 budget close-out: what the strong fiscal position delivers for households and businesses
Why the closing stretch of Benin’s budget year touches everyday life As the fourth quarter of the 2026 budget year comes into view, the signals coming from Benin’s public finances are not…
Russia’s Douma election: the price citizens pay for a ballot with no anti-war option
Vladimir Putin’s United Russia has walked away with 355 of the 450 seats in the State Duma, on 57.83 percent of the vote, once more than 95 percent of ballots had been…
How DRC’s coltan mines fuel war: the human cost behind M23’s violent control
M23’s brutal regime over Congo’s coltan wealth threatens miners and communities The armed group M23 has seized control of some of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s most valuable mineral sites, particularly…
Mali: how repeated military setbacks reach markets, households and the economy
Every garrison lost, every soldier captured and every convoy ambushed carries a price that extends far beyond the battlefield. For Malian households, for traders and for public services, the string of military…
Senegal’s Sonko warns Sadio Mané: ‘Politics is my field, football is yours’ ahead of 2029
Senegal politics 2029: Sonko’s bold message to Sadio Mané In a move blending sportsmanship with political ambition, Senegal’s National Assembly President Ousmane Sonko has publicly signaled his intent to challenge Sadio Mané…
PSG edges OM in tight Ligue 1 clash as Marseille’s crisis deepens
The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Stade Vélodrome on Sunday, extending Les Parisiens’ unbeaten streak to three matches while plunging their southern…
Niger’s mutiny fallout: general Tiani’s fear and the price a nation pays
Three years after soldiers seized power in Niamey, the heaviest bill from Niger’s power struggle is not being paid by the man who ordered it. It is being paid by a country…