Ethiopia's military build-up dominated the security picture across the continent today. According to The Africa Report, the arrival of Russian fighter jets in Addis Ababa raises the stakes in the country's standoff with Eritrea. The tension has also fed a wave of misleading content online. PesaCheck rated as partly false a set of images said to show a missile attack on Addis Ababa this year. In the Sahel, Il Sole 24 ORE looks at why Algeria is sending troops to Niger, a decision bound up with gas pipelines and border security. In Uganda, Daily Monitor reports rising tension in Teso, where Arrow Boys commander Musa Ecweru has called on General Elwelu to surrender. The past also caught up with one man. BBC News reports that a US court convicted a Rwandan man named Nshimiye of hiding his role in the genocide for decades, after he was accused of lying to a jury to protect himself and another perpetrator.
Press freedom and civic space came under pressure in North Africa. The International Commission of Jurists called the conviction of Mada Masr's editor-in-chief unjust and said it marks a serious escalation in Egypt's media crackdown. On the same day, Egyptian Streets reported that Cairo is moving to raise fines for spreading false news. Next door, ARTICLE 19 warned that political and judicial constraints are putting fundamental freedoms in Algeria at risk. Further south, Africanews reports that Cameroonian opposition parties have condemned the three-month suspension of Issa Tchiroma Bakary's National Salvation Front of Cameroon.
West African politics also turned on questions of accountability. In Nigeria, TheCable reports that Felix Morka now says his claim that ministers paid billions for their appointments referred to past administrations and not to President Tinubu's. BBC News notes that Tinubu plans to "pray for Nigeria" on a trip to Saudi Arabia, his first visit to Mecca since he campaigned there in 2022. In Ghana, Modern Ghana reports that the High Court threw out a bid to strike out the prosecution's submissions in the Adu-Boahene trial.
Energy deals and regional partnerships pointed to how countries are trying to secure their power supply. Graphic Online reports that President Mahama told a Moscow summit Ghana has opened talks with Russia's Rosatom about a nuclear power plant. Egypt is moving faster on renewables. Renewables Now reports golden licences for 1.8 GW of wind projects, and Dealroom reports that the EIB has committed $90 million to the Dandara solar-and-battery project. In Cameroon, Business in Cameroon finds that META Energy's solar power costs an estimated 18% more than grid tariffs. Tanzania, meanwhile, is getting closer to Angola. Daily News reports that Dodoma will reopen its embassy in Luanda, and the same paper says TPDC is seeking a partnership with the Lobito Oil Refinery.
The AI conversation centred on Lagos, where the Moonshot conference is under way. TechCabal reports that Oji Udezue's $10 million Enzi Prize aims to make frontier AI cheaper and more relevant to African languages and contexts. The Gates Foundation, also speaking at the event, urged African builders to put healthcare, education and incomes ahead of product launches. Fintech firm Bluebulb used the conference to launch Orbita, a treasury platform for African businesses that trade abroad. Regulators are adjusting too. The Bank of Tanzania told institutions to adopt AI and data analytics to work more efficiently, while Zimbabwe's POTRAZ told the Herald that it now sees itself as a gateway for investors and not a gatekeeper.
Public finances were the final thread. Bloomberg reports that a budget feud is clouding Senegal's attempt to fix its debt, even as The Economist describes Dakar's effort to teach more children in their first language. In Morocco, HESPRESS English reports that the 2027 budget faces scrutiny over unequal investment, the medical brain drain and tax relief. Tanzania had better news. According to Daily News, the central bank welcomed 33 percent growth in private sector lending alongside a fall in non-performing loans, which suggests credit is reaching businesses even as neighbours debate how to balance their books.
