1. 🚨 Ebola outbreak in DR Congo spreads beyond original epicentre
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is becoming increasingly serious, with Africa’s leading public-health authority warning that the disease is spreading beyond its original epicentre in Ituri Province.
According to the Africa CDC, the outbreak has expanded particularly into North Kivu and Haut-Uele. While new infections and deaths have begun declining in some parts of Ituri, reported cases in North Kivu have more than doubled over a three-week period.
The outbreak has so far been associated with 6,843 reported cases and 3,310 deaths, according to figures reported by AP. Health authorities are particularly concerned because the affected region is also experiencing armed conflict and large-scale displacement, making contact tracing, treatment and vaccination more difficult.
The WHO has warned that the outbreak could become worse than the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic if containment efforts fail. Congo has started vaccinating frontline health workers, while clinical trials are also underway for vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo strain involved in the current outbreak.
2. 💔 Fire kills at least 24 schoolchildren in eastern DR Congo
At least 24 schoolchildren have died in a devastating fire in Bukavu, a city in eastern DR Congo controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel movement.
Reuters reported that the victims included 19 girls and five boys. The fire destroyed two schools as well as about 300 wooden homes.
Authorities said at least 29 people were receiving medical treatment, including 21 in intensive care. Hospitals reported receiving large numbers of injured students, and medical workers warned that the death toll could increase.
The cause of the fire was still being investigated. The tragedy comes amid the wider security crisis in eastern Congo, where conflict has displaced communities and severely strained emergency services.
3. 🛢️ Dangote’s $16bn Kenya refinery project faces major challenges
Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote is preparing to build a massive 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu, Kenya, with an estimated cost of $15–16 billion.
A groundbreaking ceremony is expected later this month, with completion targeted for 2030.
However, the project faces a major problem: where will the crude oil come from?
Unlike Nigeria, Kenya currently has no significant commercial crude production. Possible regional sources include South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya itself, but each option presents infrastructure or geopolitical challenges.
The planned refinery would be located within the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor. Much of the required oil-storage infrastructure, however, has yet to be built.
Environmental concerns have also emerged because of the project’s proximity to Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Supporters argue the refinery could reduce Kenya’s dependence on imported petroleum products and strengthen energy security.
4. 🇳🇬 Dangote Refinery secures 16 million barrels of crude for October
Meanwhile, Dangote’s existing refinery in Nigeria is preparing for significantly higher crude intake.
The refinery has secured at least 16 million barrels of Nigerian crude for October, equivalent to roughly 520,000 barrels per day.
The refinery has a capacity of about 700,000 barrels per day, meaning the planned October crude supply represents a substantial portion of its potential production capacity.
The purchases include crude supplied through Nigeria’s national oil company as well as additional cargoes obtained through tenders. The refinery is also purchasing some U.S. crude.
The development is significant for Nigeria because increased domestic crude processing could reduce the country’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products while potentially increasing exports of refined fuels to other African markets.
5. 🇰🇪 US backs Kenya’s critical-minerals ambitions
The United States has announced support for Kenya’s plans to develop a critical-minerals processing industry, as competition between Washington and Beijing for access to strategic minerals intensifies.
Particular attention is focused on Mrima Hill, a coastal Kenyan deposit believed to contain rare-earth minerals and niobium potentially worth tens of billions of dollars.
The minerals are important for industries including aerospace, electronics, energy and advanced technology.
The U.S. says it wants Kenya’s minerals sector to include local processing and value addition, rather than simply extracting raw materials and exporting them.
President William Ruto has welcomed the initiative, saying local processing could create jobs and increase Kenya’s industrial capacity.
Several companies are competing for rights to develop the Mrima Hill deposit.
6. 🏴☠️ Somali piracy makes a comeback
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has returned to levels not seen in approximately a decade.
At least eight hijackings have reportedly occurred since April, raising concerns about the safety of ships operating around the Horn of Africa.
One notable case involved the seizure of the Lutuf, a Cameroon-flagged vessel carrying military equipment for Turkey. The ship was eventually released after Turkish military action, but reports of ransom payments have raised concerns that piracy could become increasingly profitable.
Security analysts say the resurgence is partly connected to the wider geopolitical crisis in the Red Sea and Middle East. International naval forces that previously concentrated on Somali piracy have increasingly been diverted to other maritime threats.
Pirates are also reportedly using more sophisticated technology, including satellite internet, to track and coordinate attacks.
7. 🇿🇦 South Africa’s data-centre boom sparks water and electricity concerns
South Africa is facing growing debate over its rapidly expanding data-centre industry.
Civil-rights groups are calling for greater scrutiny of new projects because of concerns about their consumption of electricity, water and land.
South Africa currently hosts approximately 70% of Africa’s data-centre capacity, making it the continent’s leading digital infrastructure hub.
Technology companies including Amazon, Microsoft and Equinix are investing heavily in the sector.
However, civil-society groups say authorities need greater transparency about how much water and electricity individual facilities consume. The South African Human Rights Commission has reportedly received more than 250 submissions concerning the issue.
Industry representatives argue that newer facilities increasingly use renewable energy and technologies designed to reduce water consumption.
8. 🇬🇲 Gambia protests erupt over electricity crisis
Protests have erupted in several parts of The Gambia over prolonged power outages.
Demonstrators reportedly burned tyres and erected barricades, with some chanting for President Adama Barrow to leave office.
The protests come just months before the country’s December presidential election, in which Barrow is seeking another term.
Some communities reportedly experienced electricity outages lasting up to 48 hours, creating problems for households and businesses. Residents complained about food spoilage and difficult living conditions amid high temperatures.
The government blamed the crisis on record electricity demand, equipment failures and seasonal reductions in hydropower.
Authorities say new generators and additional generating capacity are expected to improve electricity supply, while a planned 50MW solar plant is also part of the government’s longer-term response.
9. 🇹🇬 Togo leads successful campaign for a more accurate world map
A major diplomatic victory for Togo and the African Union has attracted international attention.
The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed a resolution encouraging the adoption of maps that represent the world’s continents more accurately, including the Equal Earth projection.
The resolution received 164 votes in favour, with the United States voting against and six countries abstaining.
The campaign was led by Togo and supported by the African Union. It challenges the widespread use of the Mercator projection, which makes areas closer to the poles appear disproportionately large while visually reducing Africa’s relative size.
The resolution is not legally binding and does not ban the Mercator projection. Instead, it encourages governments, schools, media organisations and technology companies to consider more geographically accurate alternatives.
The initiative has been promoted as an effort to correct longstanding misconceptions about Africa’s size and global importance.
10. 🇿🇦 South African rand pressured by oil prices and global tensions
South Africa’s rand has come under pressure as rising global oil prices and a stronger U.S. dollar weigh on the currency.
The development is particularly important for African economies because the ongoing Middle East conflict has pushed international crude prices sharply higher.
Reuters reported that the rand declined despite mixed domestic economic indicators, with global market factors exerting greater influence on investor sentiment.
Higher oil prices could increase transportation, electricity and production costs across African economies, particularly countries that rely heavily on imported petroleum products.
🌍 11. Africa’s oil producers benefit as Asian refiners seek alternative crude
The disruption of Middle Eastern oil supplies is also creating new opportunities for African oil exporters.
Chinese independent refineries have been searching for alternative sources of crude after disruptions involving Iranian and Russian supplies. Reuters reports that Chinese refiners have recently purchased more than 20 million barrels from alternative suppliers.
African grades from Angola and the Republic of Congo are among the crude varieties attracting increased interest.
Some African crude grades have reportedly commanded significant premiums because of strong demand and higher shipping costs.
The shift could provide additional revenue opportunities for African oil producers, although higher global shipping and insurance costs remain a challenge.
