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Phased out

Nigeria is at war. So why are so many generals potentially heading for retirement?

Nigeria is currently facing an asymmetrical war. There are battles against Islamist terrorists, bandits, militants, pirates and separatists, ... a situation which has placed the most populous African country as number three on the Institute for Economics and Peace's Global Terrorism Index. But policy and personnel changes mean that a large number of senior officials could be forced into retirement. With activists and analysts already sounding the alarm about the rise in insecurity, will those personnel changes have a major impact on how the country responds to these threats?

South Africa's Deputy President, David Mabuza, shakes hands with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

international exits

Will rising insecurity in Africa push China away?

One of the original 'China in Africa' memes that still endures today among many people on the continent is that the “Chinese want to colonise ... Africa” and want to “invade” the continent using a mix of debt traps, trade dependency, and immigration.

Africa goes to Cannes

Cannes Festival: Two African films up for Palme d’Or

The Cannes Festival, which was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will take place this year from 6 to 17 July, with two African ... films in the line-up. It is expected that the world’s largest film festival will be able to proceed almost as normal, thanks to a decline in the number of Covid cases worldwide.

A man holds a flag of Oromo Liberation Front during the opening ceremony of Irreecha celebration in Addis Ababa

non-violent struggle

Ethiopia: Victory for the Oromo will come from winning hearts and minds, not terrorising people

The terrorism of the Oromo Liberation Army is not advancing Oromo interests. Nonviolence succeeds more often than violence in securing political ... power. Its adherents are sometimes killed and hurt. But the number of casualties is less than those in war, and the political gains from nonviolence tend to be more durable.

The success issue

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Inside this edition

The success issue

Stories of African Excellence for the Post-Covid Rebuild

"Vaccine policy is economic policy"

An exclusive interview with the IMF Managing Direction Kristalina Georgieva

Will Facebook unhorse African democracy

How can we fight fakes in the post-truth era?

Special dossiers

UK-Africa / Brazil / Insurance / Benin / Nigerian

Justice is served

DRC: Kamerhe loses his appeal and his party threatens to drop its alliance with Tshisekedi

Although his sentence was reduced, former cabinet director Vital Kamerhe has been found guilty of “misappropriation” of public funds. His party, the "Union pour la Nation Congolaise" (UNC), has denounced this “political trial” and threatened to “no longer participate in [state] institutions.” This could cause further upheaval within the ruling “Union Sacrée” alliance

react or reflect?

Benin: Has Talon’s government underestimated the jihadist risk?

A report about a worrying increase in violence in the Benin has caused a stir in Cotonou. Its authors claim that jihadists are operating on Beninese territory and that the authorities are trying to minimise the threat. Unofficially, the latter deny its content and criticise its methodology. But at what point should Benin's authorities start paying attention?

Covidgate continues

Cameroon: Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute questioned over ‘Covidgate’

Cameroon’s prime minister Joseph Dion Ngute faced questions over mismanagement of Covid-19 funds.

Ethiopia: Tensions aflame after first telecoms licence went to US-backed consortium over China

millionaire prophet

Death of Nigeria’s TB Joshua: The controversial pastor will answer to God now

bye-bye bibi

Israel: Lapid, Abbas, Gantz…who’s who in Naftali Bennett’s new government?

US vs. China

Ethiopia: Tensions aflame after first telecoms licence went to US-backed consortium over China

millionaire prophet

Death of Nigeria’s TB Joshua: The controversial pastor will answer to God now

bye-bye bibi

Israel: Lapid, Abbas, Gantz…who’s who in Naftali Bennett’s new government?

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foreign investors

How will Nigeria’s Twitter ban affect tech investors

In recent years Lagos, Nigeria’s biggest city, has become Africa’s most attractive tech hub for investors. But that could be imperilled by the government’s decision to suspend Twitter’s operations in the country.

modern colonialist venture

UK’s plan for ‘Global Britain’ is arguably the re-emergence of colonialism

To say I’m disappointed in Britain would be an understatement. I think for many British Africans, we have gotten to a point where we are either questioning our place in British identity or ready to completely denounce it.

David and Goliath

Nigeria: Guaranty Trust Bank’s holding company can lift profit, analysts say

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Nigeria’s biggest bank by market value, is close to obtaining regulatory approval for a holding company structure, which analysts say will lift profitability.

Previously on The Africa Report

Africa’s natural gas loophole

Across Africa, the energy majors, such as Total, Shell and ENI have prioritised their gas developments. While they remain reluctant to take on new oil projects, they have not entirely abandoned hydrocarbons altogether, with natural gas experiencing an upswing.

Get the full picture

is cleaner green?

Africa’s energy transition dilemma

On the continent, oil majors Total, Shell and Eni have shifted their focus over to natural gas developments, but their renewable energy and carbon ... offset projects still make up a relatively small slice of their business.

Article 1/4

clean(ish) energy

Europe’s big oil companies exploit natural-gas loophole in Africa

Energy majors are increasingly reluctant to take on new oil projects, but they have not abandoned hydrocarbons altogether, with natural gas experiencing ... an upswing. In the second part of our series, we look at how the energy majors are increasingly reluctant to take on new oil projects.

Article 2/4

Solar and wind headaches

Africa’s green energy developers face uphill battle

A host of obstacles are preventing oil majors from achieving their renewable energy ambitions, from investment delays to natural hazards to a ... lack of clear legislation.

Article 3/4

In Depth

João Lourenço’s Angola

Angolas President João Lourenço, who took over from José Eduardo dos Santos in 2017, has only one year left before he faces upcoming general ... elections. In this series, we examine the strengths and weaknesses of this ambitious head of state with a Herculean task ahead of him.

6 articles

In Depth

GERD: The dam of discord

As Ethiopia vows to fill the GERD for a second time this July, Egypt is no longer mincing its words when it comes to actions it is willing to ... take to mitigate any loss of access to the Nile. In this series, we examine the personalities of the leaders involved, the stakes for the Nile basin countries, and the way in which Egypt and Ethiopia alike have turned the issue into a matter of national survival.

5 articles

In Depth

Chad: The end of an era

The sudden death of Idriss Déby Itno, the man who managed to outwit earlier attempts on his life, was a shock to many. But more worrying now ... is what role Chad will have in this new era. Déby was key in managing N’Djamena's participation in the regional fight against Islamist terrorists. Will his absence open up the region to greater instability?

10 articles

In Depth

Inside the rise of Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman

In the space of a few years, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince – virtually unheard of prior to 2015 – has become one of the most powerful leaders ... in the Arab world. We trace the beginnings of his career and examines the unstoppable rise of Mohammed bin Salman.

6 articles

In Depth

Political Capital

Every month Political Capital tracks which leaders' political stock is rising, who is on the slide, and what this means for democracy and development. ... Focusing on the trends behind the headlines, Professor Nic Cheeseman highlights the political power plays and events that will shape the future of Africa.

9 articles

In Depth

Beny Steinmetz: ‘Africa, Soros and me’

Beny Steinmetz, the discreet mining and real estate tycoon, friend of African and other international power brokers, and Israeli patriot convicted ... of bribery, is as multi-faceted as the diamonds he once traded. But who is the man behind the myth and what brought him to do business in Africa? Adapted from an exclusive interview with Steinmetz, our latest series offers insight into these questions.

3 articles

The In Depth Collection

Nigeria is at war. So why are so many generals potentially heading for retirement?

Will rising insecurity in Africa push China away?

Cannes Festival: Two African films up for Palme d’Or

Ethiopia: Victory for the Oromo will come from winning hearts and minds, not terrorising people

The success issue

DRC: Kamerhe loses his appeal and his party threatens to drop its alliance with Tshisekedi

Benin: Has Talon’s government underestimated the jihadist risk?

Cameroon: Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute questioned over ‘Covidgate’

More top stories

Ethiopia: Tensions aflame after first telecoms licence went to US-backed consortium over China

Death of Nigeria’s TB Joshua: The controversial pastor will answer to God now

Israel: Lapid, Abbas, Gantz…who’s who in Naftali Bennett’s new government?

Ethiopia: Tensions aflame after first telecoms licence went to US-backed consortium over China

Death of Nigeria’s TB Joshua: The controversial pastor will answer to God now

Israel: Lapid, Abbas, Gantz…who’s who in Naftali Bennett’s new government?

How will Nigeria’s Twitter ban affect tech investors

UK’s plan for ‘Global Britain’ is arguably the re-emergence of colonialism

Nigeria: Guaranty Trust Bank’s holding company can lift profit, analysts say

Africa’s natural gas loophole

Africa’s natural gas loophole

Africa’s energy transition dilemma

Europe’s big oil companies exploit natural-gas loophole in Africa

Africa’s green energy developers face uphill battle

João Lourenço’s Angola

GERD: The dam of discord

Chad: The end of an era

Inside the rise of Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman

Political Capital

Beny Steinmetz: ‘Africa, Soros and me’

Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema: ‘We’ve never seen such levels of corruption’

Africa, covered.