African Migration Trends 2026: Managing Drivers, Security, and Opportunity
The world’s most youthful continent continues to be highly mobile. With 12 of the world’s top 20 fastest-growing economies, a median age of 19, and roughly 600 million people of working age, millions of Africa’s increasingly educated workforce are moving to towns and urban areas every year. Intra-African migration is the most common form of cross-border population movement, with over 25 million Africans living in another African country. … Despite robust economic growth in many African countries, roughly three-quarters of African migrants cite economic pressures as the primary driver—underscoring the need for continued, broad-based economic development. … Citizens from some of the continent’s most destabilizing conflicts and or repressive governments—such as Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Burkina Faso, and Eritrea—comprise the largest numbers of migrants within their regions. … African governments increasingly recognize that migration must be managed proactively through job creation, skills development, and capable institutions, rather than through enforcement alone. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Sudan: RSF Attack on Musa Hilal’s Darfur Stronghold Kills 28, Doctors Say
At least 28 civilians were killed and dozens more wounded during a large-scale assault by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the North Darfur stronghold of influential tribal leader Musa Hilal, a Sudanese medical group said on Tuesday. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that the fatalities in Mistariha included women and children. The group said 39 people were injured, 10 of whom are women, following a coordinated offensive by the paramilitary group against the Mahameed clan leader. RSF troops stormed Mistariha on Monday after a series of drone strikes targeted the guest house of Hilal, who serves as the chairman of the Revolutionary Awakening Council. The aerial bombardment also hit medical facilities and essential service infrastructure in the area. … Tensions between the RSF and Musa Hilal have escalated sharply over the past year. Hilal, a former Janjaweed commander who remains a pivotal figure in Darfur, publicly supported the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) several months ago. Relations soured further in early 2026 after the RSF accused Hilal of involvement in the killing of Hamid Ali Abu Bakr, a high-ranking advisor to the paramilitary group. This incident intensified the rivalry between the two forces in North Darfur. Sudan Tribune
Sudan Army Chief Vows to Build ‘Smart Army’ Using Drone Tech
Sudan’s military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said on Monday the armed forces would accelerate the development of drone technology and air defence systems to build a “smart army” capable of managing modern technical warfare. Speaking at a graduation ceremony at Karary University and the Naval College, Burhan emphasized that the integration of information technology and scientific research is now a cornerstone of modern military operations. He stated that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) would focus on developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), mobile weaponry, and advanced defensive systems. Drones have played an increasingly decisive role in the conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since it erupted in April 2023. Both sides have utilized UAVs for surveillance, intelligence gathering, and precision strikes, fundamentally changing the nature of field confrontations. To support this shift, Burhan announced plans to recruit young engineering and technical specialists into the military’s research divisions. Sudan Tribune
South Sudan: C5 Presses Juba on Elections, Machar’s Fate
African leaders have urged South Sudan’s government to take urgent steps to create conditions for credible elections, including considering the release of political detainees such as First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, describing the move as a gesture toward national cohesion and reconciliation. In a final declaration issued after a summit in Addis Ababa on February 15, the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan — known as the C5 — said consolidating peace and restoring political trust were essential ahead of general elections scheduled for December 2026. The meeting, chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the AU’s 39th Ordinary Session, brought together leaders from Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa, as well as representatives of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to assess South Sudan’s fragile transition. … Mandated by the AU Peace and Security Council to support mediation efforts by IGAD, the C5 also renewed calls for the appointment of an AU High Representative or Special Envoy for South Sudan to provide strategic oversight of the peace process, working alongside IGAD and the United Nations. Radio Dabanga
Armed Group in Nigeria Kills 38 People and Abducts Others during Attack
Police in Nigeria say 38 people were killed and others were abucted in an attack last week in northwestern Zamfara state. Authorities received intelligence before the attack Thursday but a lack of road access prevented police from reaching the area in time, state police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar told The Associated Press. “By the time we have our way, the assailants have invaded the community and killed 38 while also abducting many residents,” Abubakar said Monday. Investigators in the West African nation are compiling a list of women and children who were abducted, Abubakar said. The attack in Tungan Duste, a community in the Anka local government area of Zamfara state, is the latest assault on civilians in Nigeria’s northern region, where attacks are frequent. In nearby Kebbi, 33 people were killed in simultaneous attacks last week. AP
Ethiopia, Eritrea Risk New War as Tensions Escalate
Ethiopia and Eritrea appeared on the verge of war, as longstanding tensions in the Horn of Africa threatened to spill over into full-blown hostilities. Deteriorating relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara have created a “powder keg” in the region, the International Crisis Group warned; Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of arming rebels, while the latter says the former has declared war. The two have long been at odds, with territory at the heart of the dispute. Landlocked Ethiopia — one of Africa’s biggest economies — says it has a historic right to maritime access, which it lost when Eritrea seceded. The threat of war has sent prices in the region soaring, with many hoarding foodstuffs. “The situation is very frightening,” an Ethiopian political analyst told DW. Semafor
Somalia Offers to Renew US Access to Ports
Somalia offered to renew a deal granting the US access to its ports and airports, days after the breakaway region of Somaliland reiterated a similar proposal. Mogadishu emphasized that its offer to Washington “remains the appropriate and lawful channel for any security cooperation.” Somaliland, a self-governing entity since 1991, has been ramping up its diplomatic outreach as it pushes for international recognition: Israel became the first country to recognize it as an independent state in December. As well as opening up its military bases for the US, the breakaway region has offered the Trump administration access to its minerals. The Horn of Africa is an increasingly contested region for global powers due to its proximity to the Red Sea: The US, China, and EU member states operate military bases in the area for different operations including counter-terrorism, trade, and shipping. Semafor
Supporters of Jailed Ugandan Opposition Figure Pray for Him after President Tries to Stop It
Hundreds of supporters of detained Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye held a defiant prayer service inside a Catholic cathedral on Monday to press authorities to free him after more than a year without trial on treason charges, saying he is in failing health. The archbishop of Kampala, Paul Ssemogerere, had been expected to preside but attendees were told the event had been postponed. … Instead of heading out, those inside Lubaga Cathedral sang hymns and prayed, led by Winnie Byanyima, the UNAIDS director who married Besigye in the church years ago. The event was the first of its kind in support of Besigye, who has sometimes appeared in court in a wheelchair. He has been repeatedly denied bail, even as many Ugandans urge compassion. His trial is yet to formally start. Byanyima told the crowd that the archbishop had informed her of President Yoweri Museveni’s request to postpone the event pending an investigation into whether it was political. AP
Uganda to Link New Railway Line to Tanzania, Opening up New Export Route
Uganda wants to link a new railway line it is building to one under construction in neighbouring Tanzania, a government document seen by Reuters showed, potentially opening up a new export route for minerals like gold, copper and iron ore. Uganda currently sends the bulk of its commodities exports via the Kenyan port of Mombasa and has already announced plans to link its Standard Gauge Railway project to one being built in Kenya, an initiative that remains in progress. Uganda had not previously said it would seek to also connect the railway to Tanzania’s network and its port of Dar es Salaam. The Ugandan Ministry of Works and Transport document said the railway would run from the border with Tanzania through the south and southwest of Uganda, ending at the town of Mpondwe on the border with Democratic Republic of Congo. The East African
Rare Prison Sentences Handed to Cameroon Soldiers after Killing of 21 Civilians
Three Cameroonian soldiers have been sentenced to prison for their role in the killing of at least 21 civilians in the country’s troubled Anglophone region. The jail terms for the crimes, which took place six years ago in the Northwest region, range from five to 10 years per person. A military court previously found the soldiers guilty of murder, arson and destruction – a rare occurrence in a country where military personnel are seldom convicted of crimes against civilians. … The convictions centre on the events of 14 February 2020, when soldiers, supported by a local militia of ethnic Fulanis, raided the village of Ngarbuh and killed civilians. The victims included 13 children, according to Human Rights Watch, who added that the assailants burnt down homes and beat up residents. What followed was a rare instance of Cameroon’s government acknowledging the atrocities of its soldiers in the Anglophone regions, which have been wracked by a separatist conflict for nearly 10 years. … Human Rights Watch and legal representatives of the victims have insisted that the soldiers were acting on the instructions from their superiors and therefore criticise the fact that no senior military officer was prosecuted at the trial. BBC
Cameroon to Release Body of Late Opposition Leader
It has been almost three months since Cameroon’s leading opposition figure, Anicet Ekane, died in military detention, some five weeks after being arrested. Now the authorities are finally allowing the 74-year-old’s family to retrieve his body which has been kept in the Yaoundé Central Hospital mortuary. The decision follows two requests filed by the family’s lawyers and paves the way for his widow to make funeral arrangements. Ekane’s remains have been under a judicial seal since his death on 1 December last year, following a decision by the government commissioner at the military court. In the coming days, the family lawyers also hope to obtain the autopsy report which has remained secret until now. Ekane was among the leaders of an opposition coalition accused of acts of insurrection and rebellion after endorsing Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s victory in October’s presidential election. Official results of the disputed polls declared 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya the winner, giving him a new seven-year term in office. Deadly protests took place in several parts of Cameroon after the vote which Bakary, who has since fled the country, claimed he had won. Africanews
Ghana Drops Coup Leader’s Name from Main Airport on Putsch Anniversary
Ghana’s government has removed the name of a coup leader, who helped overthrow founding father Kwame Nkrumah exactly 60 years ago, from the country’s main airport. Kotoka International Airport will now be known as Accra International Airport, its original name. But the move has not been without controversy. Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was among a group of officers who deposed Nkrumah in 1966. He himself was killed at the airport the following year during a failed counter-coup attempt. The military government then renamed it in 1969 in his honour, portraying him as a “liberator” from what they saw as Nkrumah’s authoritarian rule. But some argued his name contradicts Ghana’s democratic values. … In arguing for the move, some civil society groups said that honouring Kotoka fundamentally contradicted the country’s democratic values and glorified an unconstitutional change of government. BBC
Ecowas Proposes Major Marine Protection Zone
West Africa’s regional bloc, Ecowas, has proposed to designate a 200,000k㎡ ecosystem in the Atlantic Ocean as a marine protected area. The world’s high seas — international waters beyond any country’s control — have long been exposed to overfishing, shipping, and plastic pollution. After nearly two decades of negotiations, the first-ever legally binding High Seas Treaty took effect last month in a move to protect marine life. The waters off the coast of West Africa stretch from Cabo Verde and Senegal in the north to Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe in the south. Ecowas’ proposal could help to restrict industrial fishing and deep-sea mining exploration in the region, environmental journalism platform Dialogue Earth reported. “It would also assert African sovereignty over waters traditionally heavily influenced by external powers,” wrote Mustapha Manneh. Semafor