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West Africa

Niger
Bazoum's secret negotiations

President Mahamadou Issoufou's chosen heir, former interior minister Mohamed Bazoum, has secured the all-important support of Seini Oumarou and his MNSD party in return for promising Oumarou the position of speaker in the National Assembly. Former prime minister Albadé Abouba looks set to follow Oumarou's example.

Subscribers only Politics 26.01.2021

Sahel, United States
Barbaricum and Yorktown prepare US special forces for their Sahel deployment

Defence service providers Barbaricum and Yorktown will help acclimatise US special forces before they head to the Sahel.

Subscribers only Defence, Politics Running story - The Sahel security crisis 26.01.2021

Spotlight | Equatorial Guinea
How the opposition got entangled in the Obiang family's Dallas-style war in Malabo

The legal action taken against the first lady's brother in Dubai has torn apart President Teodoro Obiang Nguema's family but also further weakened the opposition to the Equatorial Guinean regime. This is how it all happened.

Subscribers only Politics 25.01.2021

Loading of bauxite from CBG's Sangaredi mine. © Jean-Claude Moschetti/Réa

In Focus | Guinea
Conakry seeks to make Monaco Resources go-to firm for bauxite trade

The Guinean government, pushing pooling in the mining sector to the extreme, is seeking to impose Monaco Resources as the go-to firm for marketing bauxite produced by firms less experienced in trading. The move comes as mining companies are experimenting with sharing capacity or infrastructure, an often fraught process.

Subscribers only Mining 25.01.2021

Nigeria
Abba Kyari's favourite trader thrives in wake of his death

Matrix Energy's tight connections to the powers that be in Nigeria has allowed it to play a prominent role in the country's oil trading.

Subscribers only Energy 25.01.2021

Liberia
Liberian ship registry and ex-promoter launch mutual discovery process in US court battle

The Liberian ship registry and the consulting company which it hired to promote it have jointly begun a discovery process in a US court in an attempt to prove that the other party is at fault.

Subscribers only Business 25.01.2021

Africa
Qatar funds Accor's African hotels

After thrashing out the deal for more than two years, French hotel giant Accor has transferred its African hotels to the Franco-Qatari Kasada investment fund. Financial entities based in Luxembourg, Mauritian and Qatar are involved.

Subscribers only Finance, Business 25.01.2021

The Sofitel Abidjan, in Ivory Coast, one of the hotels whose physical premises have been sold by AccorInvest to Kasada.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara draws up cabinet shortlist

As the country gears up for legislative elections on March 6, there have been intense negotiations about who will be in the next government. The president has already pencilled in a few names.

Subscribers only Politics 25.01.2021

Inner circles | Ghana
How General Obed Akwa is orchestrating Accra's military diplomacy

Ghana's 16,000-strong army has become one of the main levers of Accra's outsized diplomatic influence in Africa and beyond, with nearly 3,000 soldiers deployed across a dozen UN missions. President Nana Akufo-Addo is particularly fond of his country's armed forces and increasingly relies on his Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Obed Akwa.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 22.01.2021

Chief of staff of the Ghana Armed Forces Obed Boama Akwa.

Burkina Faso, France
Kaboré's turn to meet Macron to discuss Sahel

After presidents Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, Idriss Déby of Chad and Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger visited Emmanuel Macron in Paris, it's now Roch Marc Christian Kaboré's turn

Subscribers only Diplomacy 22.01.2021

Burkinabe President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in December 2018.

Nigeria
Why former vice president Atiku Abubakar bailed out of Intels

A veritable money tree for the presidential candidate in 2019, Intels is no longer the force it once was since Muhammadu Buhari has been in power.

Subscribers only Energy 21.01.2021

Former Vice President of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar.

Ivory Coast
Roxgold puts finishing touches to its new west African hub in Abidjan

By moving its West Africa general manager from Ouagadougou to Abidjan and appointing a country manager there, Roxgold has reinforced Ivory Coast's position as its regional operating centre.

Subscribers only Mining 21.01.2021

Ghana
GNPC heavily criticised over decision to import Shell gas

The choice of Shell in Ghana to import gas for the Tema LNG terminal has raised eyebrows, as local producers have the capacity to supply the country's power plants.

Subscribers only Energy 21.01.2021

Ghanaian gas: western abundance, eastern scarcity.

Mali
Behind-doors negotiations over next MINUSMA chief

The arrival of the Biden administration should help rekindle talks for a replacement of the current MINUSMA head, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, whose mandate ends in April. Paris and Washington have been bickering over the matter for months.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 21.01.2021

The current MINUSMA head Mahamat Saleh Annadif.

Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa
As AU's position on Western Sahara shifts, Minister Boukadoum is sent to rally "last" allies

The Algerian foreign minister Sabri Boukadoum has paid a visit to the few, still pro-Polisario capitals in Africa with the hope of gaining room for manoeuvre on the matter of the disputed region. He came away disappointed.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 21.01.2021

Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum met his Angolan counterpart Tete Antonio on 14 January 2021.

France, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa
Strauss-Kahn turns to Bissau as he scrabbles for new contracts

Having failed to take advantage of the G20's debt suspension initiative, which brought in new African contracts for all his competitors, former International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn is now offering his services as a consultant in Africa's smallest capitals.

Subscribers only Business 20.01.2021

Former managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Guinea
Cécé Noramou, ready to retire from mining ministry, launches consulting firm

As Cécé Noramou, technical advisor to Guinea's ministry of mines, awaits his imminent retirement, he is finalising a project to decide upon the best approach for relocating, resettling, and compensating people affected by mining projects.

Subscribers only Mining 20.01.2021

Niger
Mohamed Bazoum takes presidential campaign to Paris

With less than a month to go before he faces Mahamne Ousmane in the second round of the presidential election, Mohamed Bazoum has been in Paris since 19 January with a host of press interviews already lined up.

Subscribers only Politics 20.01.2021

The Nigerien presidential candidate and former interior minister Mohamed Bazoum.

Mali, Senegal
Constellis deploys military advisers to support UN peacekeepers in Mali and Senegal

Le géant américain des services à la défense Constellis Group (ex-Academi Training Center) a envoyé en fin d'année des instructeurs militaires en Afrique de l'Ouest.

Subscribers only Defence, Business 20.01.2021

Mali
AfDB to take over financing of Kenié dam abandonned by IFC

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is examining a case for the financing of the 42-MW hydropower plant Kenié. The Abuja-based institution is in talks with the project developer, French power producer Eranove.

Subscribers only Energy, Business 20.01.2021

Spotlight | Africa, China
Macron and Biden want to force China to play ball on African debt

Following the explosion in African countries' public debt caused by Covid, the European Union and the United States want to force China to take part in the collective rescheduling process organised by the G20 and the Paris Club.

Subscribers only Politics 19.01.2021

On December 30, 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron took part in a videoconference bringing together his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and European representatives.

Nigeria
ENI picks Bulgarian ex-foreign minister as its arbiter in dispute with NNPC over OPL 245

Chosen by the Italian major, former diplomat Stanimir Alexandrov is the first appointment to a tribunal that will arbitrate ENI's dispute with the Nigerian state over OPL 245.

Subscribers only Energy 19.01.2021

Benin
Talon readies to sell Seme and resume exploration with Oranto

With a high chance he will be serving a second term come April, President Patrice Talon at last has the legislation in place to see oil firms return to the country.

Subscribers only Energy 19.01.2021

Guinea-Bissau
Embaló wants to declare war on parliament

Now that he no longer has a two-thirds majority in the National People's Assembly, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló cannot carry out his planned constitutional reform. He has threatened to dissolve the assembly, raising fears that this could provoke a political crisis just one year after his own highly contested election as president.

Subscribers only Politics 19.01.2021

The president of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló.

Ghana
Foreign minister Botchway, centrepiece of Akufo Addo's ECOWAS chairmanship

Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo's powerful foreign minister for the past four years, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway is to chair a meeting of her ECOWAS colleagues in Mali on 19 January.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 18.01.2021

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West Africa

Niger
Bazoum's secret negotiations

Sahel, United States
Barbaricum and Yorktown prepare US special forces for their Sahel deployment

Spotlight | Equatorial Guinea
How the opposition got entangled in the Obiang family's Dallas-style war in Malabo

In Focus | Guinea
Conakry seeks to make Monaco Resources go-to firm for bauxite trade

Nigeria
Abba Kyari's favourite trader thrives in wake of his death

Liberia
Liberian ship registry and ex-promoter launch mutual discovery process in US court battle

Africa
Qatar funds Accor's African hotels

Ivory Coast
Ouattara draws up cabinet shortlist

Inner circles | Ghana
How General Obed Akwa is orchestrating Accra's military diplomacy

Burkina Faso, France
Kaboré's turn to meet Macron to discuss Sahel

Nigeria
Why former vice president Atiku Abubakar bailed out of Intels

Ivory Coast
Roxgold puts finishing touches to its new west African hub in Abidjan

Ghana
GNPC heavily criticised over decision to import Shell gas

Mali
Behind-doors negotiations over next MINUSMA chief

Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa
As AU's position on Western Sahara shifts, Minister Boukadoum is sent to rally "last" allies

France, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa
Strauss-Kahn turns to Bissau as he scrabbles for new contracts

Guinea
Cécé Noramou, ready to retire from mining ministry, launches consulting firm

Niger
Mohamed Bazoum takes presidential campaign to Paris

Mali, Senegal
Constellis deploys military advisers to support UN peacekeepers in Mali and Senegal

Mali
AfDB to take over financing of Kenié dam abandonned by IFC

Spotlight | Africa, China
Macron and Biden want to force China to play ball on African debt

Nigeria
ENI picks Bulgarian ex-foreign minister as its arbiter in dispute with NNPC over OPL 245

Benin
Talon readies to sell Seme and resume exploration with Oranto

Guinea-Bissau
Embaló wants to declare war on parliament

Ghana
Foreign minister Botchway, centrepiece of Akufo Addo's ECOWAS chairmanship

The weekly summary

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Indigo Publications' websites

Faure Gnassingbe

Orano

Michaël Randrianirina

China National Petroleum Corp

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

West Africa

Niger Bazoum's secret negotiations

Sahel, United States Barbaricum and Yorktown prepare US special forces for their Sahel deployment

Spotlight | Equatorial Guinea How the opposition got entangled in the Obiang family's Dallas-style war in Malabo

In Focus | Guinea Conakry seeks to make Monaco Resources go-to firm for bauxite trade

Nigeria Abba Kyari's favourite trader thrives in wake of his death

Liberia Liberian ship registry and ex-promoter launch mutual discovery process in US court battle

Africa Qatar funds Accor's African hotels

Ivory Coast Ouattara draws up cabinet shortlist

Inner circles | Ghana How General Obed Akwa is orchestrating Accra's military diplomacy

Burkina Faso, France Kaboré's turn to meet Macron to discuss Sahel

Nigeria Why former vice president Atiku Abubakar bailed out of Intels

Ivory Coast Roxgold puts finishing touches to its new west African hub in Abidjan

Ghana GNPC heavily criticised over decision to import Shell gas

Mali Behind-doors negotiations over next MINUSMA chief

Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa As AU's position on Western Sahara shifts, Minister Boukadoum is sent to rally "last" allies

France, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa Strauss-Kahn turns to Bissau as he scrabbles for new contracts

Guinea Cécé Noramou, ready to retire from mining ministry, launches consulting firm

Niger Mohamed Bazoum takes presidential campaign to Paris

Mali, Senegal Constellis deploys military advisers to support UN peacekeepers in Mali and Senegal

Mali AfDB to take over financing of Kenié dam abandonned by IFC

Spotlight | Africa, China Macron and Biden want to force China to play ball on African debt

Nigeria ENI picks Bulgarian ex-foreign minister as its arbiter in dispute with NNPC over OPL 245

Benin Talon readies to sell Seme and resume exploration with Oranto

Guinea-Bissau Embaló wants to declare war on parliament

Ghana Foreign minister Botchway, centrepiece of Akufo Addo's ECOWAS chairmanship

The weekly summary

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Niger
Bazoum's secret negotiations

Sahel, United States
Barbaricum and Yorktown prepare US special forces for their Sahel deployment

Spotlight | Equatorial Guinea
How the opposition got entangled in the Obiang family's Dallas-style war in Malabo

In Focus | Guinea
Conakry seeks to make Monaco Resources go-to firm for bauxite trade

Nigeria
Abba Kyari's favourite trader thrives in wake of his death

Liberia
Liberian ship registry and ex-promoter launch mutual discovery process in US court battle

Africa
Qatar funds Accor's African hotels

Ivory Coast
Ouattara draws up cabinet shortlist

Inner circles | Ghana
How General Obed Akwa is orchestrating Accra's military diplomacy

Burkina Faso, France
Kaboré's turn to meet Macron to discuss Sahel

Nigeria
Why former vice president Atiku Abubakar bailed out of Intels

Ivory Coast
Roxgold puts finishing touches to its new west African hub in Abidjan

Ghana
GNPC heavily criticised over decision to import Shell gas

Mali
Behind-doors negotiations over next MINUSMA chief

Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa
As AU's position on Western Sahara shifts, Minister Boukadoum is sent to rally "last" allies

France, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa
Strauss-Kahn turns to Bissau as he scrabbles for new contracts

Guinea
Cécé Noramou, ready to retire from mining ministry, launches consulting firm

Niger
Mohamed Bazoum takes presidential campaign to Paris

Mali, Senegal
Constellis deploys military advisers to support UN peacekeepers in Mali and Senegal

Mali
AfDB to take over financing of Kenié dam abandonned by IFC

Spotlight | Africa, China
Macron and Biden want to force China to play ball on African debt

Nigeria
ENI picks Bulgarian ex-foreign minister as its arbiter in dispute with NNPC over OPL 245

Benin
Talon readies to sell Seme and resume exploration with Oranto

Guinea-Bissau
Embaló wants to declare war on parliament

Ghana
Foreign minister Botchway, centrepiece of Akufo Addo's ECOWAS chairmanship