Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
… A series of mass school kidnappings in the final quarter of 2025 -- including the abduction of about 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi state in November and the seizure of roughly 300 students and several teachers in Niger state the same month -- drew renewed international attention to ins …
Seven students kidnapped in Nigeria by criminal gangCitizen Digital
… The Indian Ocean island has endured repeated political upheavals and is the latest former French colony in Africa to come under military rule since 2020, following coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. …
Madagascar top court rejects bid to remove presidentThe Standard
… In Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, military juntas have severed ties with Paris and moved toward new security partnerships. …
Mixed scorecard as Kenya hosts historic France-Africa summitThe Standard
… the first such visit in 24 years -- one of the main aims was to counter Russia's rapprochement with the west African coastal country.France's position is not helped by the fact that Togo continues to cultivate good relations with regional neighbours Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger …
France, Russia jostle for influence in TogoCitizen Digital
… Uganda will compete in Group H against Tunisia, Libya, and Botswana, while Tanzania has been drawn in Group L alongside Nigeria, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau. …
Kenya placed in Group D of 2027 AFCON qualifiersCitizen Digital
… The development comes at a time when several Sahel nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, have expelled French military forces over sovereignty concerns and opposition to foreign military influence. …
Kenya-France military pact sparks sovereignty concerns over troop immunityThe Standard
… For Paris, it is a recalibration after losing ground in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. …
The paradox of success in Africa Forward SummitCitizen Digital
… On Christmas Day, the United States, in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, carried out airstrikes in northwestern Sokoto State targeting fighters from the Islamic State in the Sahel group, usually active in neighbouring Niger. …
Nigeria confirms killing of senior Islamic State leader in joint US operationCitizen Digital
… On Christmas Day, the United States, in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, carried out airstrikes in northwestern Sokoto State targeting fighters from the Islamic State in the Sahel (ISSP), usually active in neighbouring Niger. …
Trump says US, Nigerian forces killed senior Islamic State leaderThe Standard
… Tinubu said in his statement that Al-Minuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed "along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin", a restive region straddling Niger, Chad and Cameroon.Trump did not provide details on the form of att …
Trump, Nigeria claim killing of senior IS leaderUNICEF reports that an estimated 1.9 million Kenyan learners experienced climate-related schooling disruption in 2025, with drought as the primary hazard. Globally, more than 171 million students across 106 countries had schooling disrupted by climate hazards in 2025.
10 September 2026 · Capital News →
UNICEF reports that an estimated 1.9 million Kenyan learners experienced climate-related schooling disruption in 2025, with drought as the primary hazard. Globally, more than 171 million students across 106 countries had schooling disrupted by climate hazards in 2025.
10 September 2026 · Capital News →
The IAEA board of governors passed a resolution referring Iran to the UN Security Council for non-compliance with non-proliferation treaty obligations, citing lack of information on Iran's nuclear materials and IAEA inspector access. Iran condemned the decision, blaming US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities for disrupting inspections, though new sanctions are unlikely given China and Russia's veto powers.
10 September 2026 · Capital News →
Two Kenyan boxers were knocked out in the first round of their bouts at the Eurasia Dauria Cup in Chita City, Russia. Flyweight Juma Omondi lost on unanimous points' decision to Russia's Arseny Lochnev, and lightweight Phelix Ochieng' was also defeated on unanimous points' decision by Angola's Victor Tewase.
9 September 2026 · The Standard →
Ministers from eight African countries have committed to scaling proven livestock innovations and strengthening value chains to reduce the continent's $70–$100 billion annual food import bill, despite Africa holding about a fifth of the world's cattle and producing only about five per cent of global milk.
3 September 2026 · Capital News →
Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang announced his retirement from the national team, stating he felt "humiliated" by his exclusion and reinstatement following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where Gabon were eliminated in the group stage.
2 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps played a decisive role in helping Niger's military government suppress a mutiny over the weekend in the capital Niamey, exposing the junta's dependence on Moscow at odds with its stated goal of reclaiming national sovereignty from foreign powers.
1 September 2026 · The Standard →
Russia's African Corps assisted Niger in repelling an attempted coup on Saturday that involved explosions and gunfire at military and presidential sites in Niamey; authorities said the rebellion was contained and the situation is under control of President Gen Abdourahmane Tiani.
31 August 2026 · Capital News →
Ethiopia has formally submitted its bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2028, which would be its first since 1976. The bid faces obstacles including ongoing insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia states and threats of renewed civil war with the Tigray region.
25 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Faruku Hassan Bunza, a High Court judge in Kebbi state, was abducted from his home on July 26 and released, according to police. Although kidnappers demanded ransom, police say they maintain a firm stance against ransom payments, and security agencies are pursuing efforts to track down the perpetrators.
4 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—three countries led by military governments—are bidding jointly to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations, following a meeting between officials and CAF president Patrice Motsepe in New York.
22 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nigerian women are being trafficked along West African migrant routes to Europe through deception—promised legitimate jobs abroad but forced into prostitution and trapped by debt and superstitious "juju" curses. Many face family rejection upon return because they stop sending remittances home.
22 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Three West African countries led by military governments met with the Confederation of African Football president to advance their joint bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations, marking a pivotal stage in the bidding process under CAF regulations.
22 July 2026 · The Standard →
West African leaders have formally endorsed the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline, a 6,000km infrastructure project that will carry Nigerian gas to Morocco and link into Europe's gas network via Spain. Construction is expected to begin in 2028 with an estimated cost of $25bn, and according to energy experts, the project could shift the region from a model where African gas is extracted, refined abroad, and reimported at higher prices.
21 July 2026 · Capital News →
Jihadists and separatist Tuareg rebels launched coordinated attacks across Mali on Saturday, striking multiple northern and central towns and a prison near the capital. The attacks came two months after a similar operation in which the country's defence minister was killed.
4 July 2026 · The Standard →
Nigeria's defence minister said the country is expanding military cooperation with Benin and Niger to counter jihadist groups from the Sahel region encroaching on Nigeria's northwest, including groups like JNIM attempting to infiltrate through Benin into Nigeria.
3 July 2026 · The Standard →
Burkina Faso's military government has ended diplomatic relations with France, accusing it of "ceaseless activism" against the country and neo-colonial ambitions. The decision follows years of friction since Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in 2022 and expelled French troops, pivoting instead toward China and Russia.
28 June 2026 · Capital News →
Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations with France on Friday, citing years of worsening ties over security, sovereignty, and alleged foreign interference. France said it regrets the decision and is considering taking reciprocal measures.
28 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Niger has officially submitted its withdrawal request from the ICC on 18 June, nine months after announcing its intent alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, citing the court as an "instrument of neo-colonialist repression". The withdrawal takes effect one year after notification, and Niger must honour its obligations to the court until that date.
24 June 2026 · Capital News →
Niger has officially submitted its request to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, with the withdrawal taking effect one year after notification on June 18, 2026. The junta-ruled country, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, announced the move in September, characterizing the ICC as an "instrument of neo-colonial repression in the hands of imperialism."
24 June 2026 · The Standard →
Mali has declared 39 parks and forests, including the 80,000-hectare Faya forest near Bamako, as off-limits military zones for civilians to prevent jihadist groups from using them as bases for attacks. The move follows large-scale attacks by JNIM and ethnic Tuareg separatist allies in late April that killed Mali's defence minister.
22 June 2026 · The Standard →
On August 1, Kenya commemorates the 44th anniversary of a 1982 attempted military coup that seized the national broadcaster and threatened the Republic's democratic future. General Mahamoud Mohamed led the loyalist response that defeated the rebellion and restored constitutional authority, with contemporaries crediting his courage and decisive action during the crisis.
22 June 2026 · The Standard →
Gunmen attacked Diori Hamani international airport in Niamey on Thursday, killing 35 people comprising 22 assailants, 11 soldiers, and two civilians. Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM claimed responsibility for the assault, the second attack on the airport in less than five months.
19 June 2026 · Capital News →
Niger's security forces repelled an attack on Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey early Thursday, with gunfire ringing out for hours near the sensitive site. An airport source said the attack left numerous attackers dead and others captured with help from local residents.
19 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A string of West African countries have outlawed same-sex relations in recent months, further eroding LGBTQ rights on a continent where they were already under attack. Of Africa's 54 countries, only about 20 do not currently criminalise same-sex relations.
18 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
France is seeking to expand its influence in East Africa and Kenya after losing ground in the Sahel, but protests against French President Macron's participation in Nairobi's Africa Forward Summit signal rising anti-French sentiment in the region over France's colonial legacy.
15 June 2026 · The Standard →
Suspected jihadists from the Lakurawa group killed more than 20 people in a raid on the Fesken Rafi community in Kebbi state near the Niger border, according to a confidential security report prepared for the United Nations. The attack followed a period of reduced violence by the group and may signal a resurgence of operations.
14 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An analysis in The Standard argues that President Ruto's apology for the historical exclusion of Northern Kenya from national discourse reflects a broader postcolonial African challenge of building inclusive nations from borders drawn without regard for geography or identity, with reconciliation requiring acknowledgement of historical grievances.
12 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kuwait's Interior Ministry has issued a directive prohibiting recruitment of domestic workers from Kenya and 26 other African countries, based on recommendations from its ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health and the Public Authority for Manpower. Domestic workers from some countries including South Africa, Ethiopia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka have been granted recruitment, though male workers only in several cases.
10 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A Mo Ibrahim Foundation report released in May 2026 found that limited freedom of movement and connectivity for Africans, despite the African Union's Free Movement of Persons Protocol, are hampering the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement. While Mali, Niger, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe have ratified the Protocol, other countries remain closed due to security concerns, reciprocity issues, and lack of political commitment.
7 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
At least 49 people died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara desert in northern Niger after the truck carrying them broke down while returning from celebrations in Mali. The group became stranded more than 80km west of Assamaka, and only two survived by trekking to the border crossing to alert authorities.
6 June 2026 · Capital News →