Mali: 358 Russian deaths in three years and the growing toll on civilians and the economy

The mounting death toll among Russian paramilitary forces in Mali is no longer just a battlefield statistic—it is a reality that is reshaping daily life for millions of Malians and…

How a toxic batch of bootleg alcohol left Ondo communities grieving, blind and economically shaken

A poisoned drink, a shattered community The scale of the loss is staggering, and the grief is palpable across southwestern Nigeria. At least 48 people have died and close to…

What the $410 million US migration deal means for everyday life in the Sahel

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has made no secret of its ideological break with traditional Western powers, the United States and France chief among them. Yet the pragmatic maintenance…

Mali’s 66th independence anniversary: the real cost for families, businesses and the state

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, Mali marks the 66th anniversary of its accession to international sovereignty. Yet more than six decades after the 1960 independence proclamations, the mood is less…

Mali’s independence address: the real toll on households, businesses and the front line

On independence day, the address to the nation by the transitional president, army general Assimi Goïta, struck a triumphant tone. Between promises of economic growth, boasts of a rising military…

Nanga armoured vehicles in Burkina Faso: the economic and security stakes behind an unverified industrial claim

Burkina Faso’s military government says it has developed close to 300 Nanga armoured vehicles on home soil. Yet a central question remains unanswered: where do these vehicles actually come from,…

Sévaré attack fallout: the hidden toll on Mali’s citizens and economy

The assault on the Sévaré airbase and the Konna military camp, claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), has exposed the true cost of…

Mali’s economy and communities buckle under JNIM’s Dioura and Sévaré attacks

How the JNIM attacks in Dioura and Sévaré are hitting Mali’s economy and daily life In recent days, the jihadist group has launched multiple assaults on the Malian army and…

Benin’s Sèmè oil exports: what the 2026 crude cargo really changes for households, businesses and the state

Benin will re-enter the global oil export market in October 2026, when a maiden cargo of 250,000 barrels of crude leaves the Sèmè offshore field. The shipment is far more…

Sahel security crisis: how jihadist attacks are draining the AES economy and displacing civilians

Sahel security crisis deepens as AES economic fallout grows In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the pledge to reclaim security is colliding with a reality that is becoming harder to…

Olympe Bhêly-Quenum at 100: the real-world impact of a century of writing on Benin’s readers, schools and cultural economy

When Olympe Bhêly-Quenum was born in Ouidah on 20 September 1926, nobody could have guessed that his pen would go on to shape how generations of Beninese readers, students and…

Mali independence day: opposition leader calls for accountability amid governance crisis

Mali’s Independence Day provokes mixed reactions as opposition challenges leadership The Mali celebrated its independence day on September 22nd, a national holiday marking 66 years since breaking free from colonial…