Inner circles | Africa
Saadé family's CMA CGM entrusts military and diplomatic veterans with its Africa ops

Spotlight | DRC
Kinshasa strikes risky deal with Dan Gertler via Afriland bank

Afriland bank's DR Congo subsidiary, which is under provisional administration by the country's central bank and is in arbitration proceedings, may have one final use. The government may use it in a risky financial deal that would benefit Israeli tycoon Dan Gertler.

Spotlight | DRC
Kinshasa's secret $150m deal with Dig Oil

Judith Suminwa Tuluka's government is caught up in a draft agreement signed in 2023 with the South African junior that was meant to put an end to a long legal dispute.

Spotlight | Niger
Niger junta seeks €100m in back taxes and late fees from CNPC arm

Niamey's cash-strapped ruling generals are putting the squeeze on the Chinese oil giant in its capacity as majority shareholder of a delinquent oil refinery.

Inner circles | Nigeria
Borno governor Babagana Zulum's crack team

The powerful governor of the north-eastern state of Borno, which is plagued by security issues, has surrounded himself with a dynamic team to help him in his dealings with financial backers. It's a team that could serve him well in his bid for national office.

Inner circles | Ethiopia
Who's who in the entourage of Takele Uma, Abiy's new Ethio-Djibouti Railway boss

The Ethiopian PM has appointed the former Addis Ababa mayor and minister of mines, whom he dismissed last year, to revitalize the struggling railway. An early supporter of Abiy, Takele has surrounded himself with loyalists, which risks raising some hackles.

Inner circles | South Africa
Coalition partner Steenhuisen uses his team to stand up to dominant ANC

Spotlight | Mozambique
Paris fumbles its way through Mozambique's post-election crisis

The French embassy in Maputo is maintaining an air of near-normality in the face of unrest it struggles to fully comprehend. Some French companies have begun recalling their staff.

Inner circles | Algeria
Army chief Saïd Chengriha asserts himself in relation to Tebboune

Spotlight | Morocco
Rabat restructures its lobbyists in Brussels

Morocco's difficulties over its fisheries and agriculture agreements have prompted it to strengthen its negotiating team in its dealings with the European Union. It has turned to Scandinavian consultancy Rud Pedersen and the Belgian lawyer Sébastien Gubel, both of whom have excellent connections in Brussels, to better defend its commercial interests.