Analysis, Background Information and more about the stories making headlines – Mondays to Fridays on Africalink.
In a bold diplomatic move, US President Donald Trump has welcomed five West African leaders to the White House, spotlighting the region's vast mineral wealth and strategic importance. As the US pivots from aid to trade, the high-stakes summit signaled a new chapter in global power dynamics — where Africa's resources are the prize in a growing contest with China and Russia.
Freedom of expression is under threat in Zimbabwe as the ruling party pushes to criminalize criticism of the government, labeling it unpatriotic. Opposition legislators warn that such a law could be used to silence dissenting voices and target journalists. Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Nigel Nyamutumbu, Programs Manager at the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe, and DW's Privilege Musvanhiri.
Nigerians are divided on the legacy of their late former president. He was hailed for his anti-corruption drive and security focus and criticized for economic problems and rising insecurity. Josey Mahachi talks to Dengiyefa Angalapu, a researcher with the Centre for Democracy and Development, and DW's Abiodun Jamiu in Abuja.
Experts are warning that democracy across Africa is under serious threat. The new Democracy Capture (DEMCAP) Index shows that powerful interests are increasingly taking control of democratic institutions, undermining governance. Eddy Micah Jr speaks to researchers Dr. John Osae-Kwapong and Lois Matthew. They focus on democratization and authoritarianism in West Africa and the Sahel.
In Ghana, women in agriculture face tough challenges, including entrenched gender norms, limited access to credit, and unequal access to land. Some of them have decided to break barriers by joining forces to fight discrimination and poverty while boosting food security in rural areas. DW's Eddy Micah Jr. speaks to Wedam Kadoa Rhoda, CEO of the Song-ba Empowerment Center and DW's own Maxwell Suuk.
The Nigerian government says will simplify the system and boost compliance. But how will this affect businesses and citizens already stretched by rising living costs? Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Daniel Olika, a lawyer and fiscal policy analyst, and DW's Abiodun Jamiu in Nigeria.
A new wave of anti-government protests in Kenya led to scores of fatalities and hundreds of arrested this week. And, the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights says police are working with criminal gangs. Eddy Micah Jr. talks to political analyst Michael Nato and DW's Diana Wanyonyi in Mombasa.
Uganda's opposition parties are drafting a cooperation agreement ahead of a general election. They aim to unseat Yoweri Museveni, the country's president for the last 40 years. Josey Mahachi talks to Adolph Mbeine, a lecturer at Makerere University, and DW's Frank Yiga in Kampala.
Rights defenders in Kenya want more community protections for elderly women, especially in rural areas. It follows reports of old women being accused of witchcraft, denied inheritance, forced out of their marital homes, and abandoned. Josephine Mahachi speaks to DW's Andrew Wasike and Anne Rose Chege, a social worker and rights advocate in Kenya.
Malawi's biggest refugee camp, Dzaleka Refugee Camp, currently home to around 56,500 people, faces a bleak future as UNHCR withdraws funding and staff. What could this mean for a facility that human rights activists say is already as a source of human trafficking and crime? Josey Mahachi speaks to Jessie Chingoma, a gender and labor activist and DW's George Mhango in Blantyre.
Human rights groups say a US-backed peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo fails to hold any parties accountable for fighting that has left thousands dead. President Donald Trump touts the deal as a way to access mineral resources. Josey Mahachi speaks with political commentator Gonza Mugi and Gasominari Jean Baptiste, a Congolese lawyer living in Rwanda as a refugee.
A Malawi-based human rights body says survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) are punished instead of being protected, with little recourse to state protection from abusive partners. So why is it that laws meant to protect have become a barrier to justice? Josey Mahachi talks to Victor Mhango, executive director of CHREAA, and DW's Chimwemwe Padatha in Lilongwe.
Police fired tear gas into the streets and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire. At least 16 people were killed, according Amnesty International, and a government minister said the protests were 'terrorism disguised as dissent'. But how did this unfold? Josey Mahachi talks to analyst Martin Oloo and DW's Andrew Wasike in Nairobi.
After deadly attacks in central Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu promised support to the region and turn tragedy into prosperity. The government plans to support farmers in the bread basket region. Josey Mahachi talks to Rildwan Bello, an agriculture economist, and DW's Jamiu Abiodun in Nigeria.
During last weekend's summit in Abuja, Nigeria, West Africa's political and economic bloc, ECOWAS, acknowledged growing unrest and political instability in the region. ECOWAS leaders pledged to combat human trafficking, hunger and gender-based violence. Josey Mahachi speaks with Grace Yohanna, head of Salama Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Kaduna, Nigeria, and DW's Ben Shemang in Abuja.
Conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls has surged in the DRC, with over 67,000 cases reported in the first four months of 2025 alone. But major funding cuts mean health centers have run out of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits —vital in treatment following rape. Eddy Micah talks to Amadou Bocoum of the humanitarian NGO CARE, and DW's Jean Marie Ngong Song.
In Ghana, a new refugee agribusiness and sustainability program is hoping to empower more than 20,000 refugees to be self-reliant as countries mitigate impact of aid cuts. Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Tetteh Padi, the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Refugee Board, and Adwoa Domena, DW correspondent in Accra.
Activists in Kenya and the father of a man who was shot at close range by Kenyan police during a protest over the police custody death of influencer Albert Ojwang want justice. The Ojwang case has triggered a series of protests and the arrest of Nairobi police officers. DW's Eddy Micah Jr. speaks to Nyamisa Chelangat, an activist, and DW correspondent in Nairobi.
Two governors of the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP), along with their cabinet members and other lawmakers have abandoned the opposition and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). DW's Eddy Micah Jr speaks to Dr. Timothy Golu, a former member of the House of Representatives and current Adviser to the Plateau State Governor, and DW's correspondent in Abuja, Ben Shemang.
On Youth Day, South Africans honor the young people who were killed by apartheid police in Soweto on June 16, 1976. More than 500 people lost their lives in a tragedy that became a rallying point, inspiring a nation to rise up against the apartheid regime. Eddy Micah Jr. speaks with Gcotyelwa Jimlongo, programs officer at Futurelect, and DW's Nontokozo Mchunu in Cape Town.
Greenpeace Africa says 42,000 South Africans died because of air pollution in 2023, and wants South African energy producers to be held to account. But how will the country balance environmental risks with its energy demands? Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Greenpeace campaign lead Cynthia Moyo, and DW's Thuso Khumalo in Johannesburg.
As the world marks World Day Against Child Labor, Uganda is grappling with millions of children trapped in child labor. Experts say laws protecting children from hazardous labor in sub-Saharan Africa are still poorly enforced and many communities are unaware of available support.
Kenyan President William Ruto has condemned the death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody. The case has sparked anger online and small protests at a tense moment for Kenya, which is marking a year since protests over tax rises and corruption that triggered a deadly police response.
Zambia is mourning the death of former president Edgar Lungu, who served from 2015-2021. Lungu died last Thursday in a hospital in South Africa at the age of 68. Eddy Micah Jr. speaks to Kelly Kaunda, who served at the Zambian Embassy in Berlin during President Edgar Lungu's rule, and DW's Glory Mushinge.
A surge in chronic kidney disease is alarming health officials in Nigeria. An increasing number of patients require dialysis and transplants, with the cause unknown. DW's Eddy Micah Jr talks to Dr. Goni Waru of Yobe State University Teaching Hospital Damaturu and Mohammed Al-Amin, DW correspondent in Nigeria.
Nigeria's public debt is projected to exceed $100 billion following President Bola Tinubu's request for new loans. The latest push to borrow is fueling concern over debt sustainability. Josey Mahachi talks to Mma Amara Ekeruche, a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), and DW's Abiodun Jamiu in Nigeria.
Cameroon is the world's most neglected displacement crisis, according to a Norwegian Refugee Council report, which warns that rising nationalism and waning international support have deepened the crisis.
US Africa Command chief Gen. Michael Langley has called on fragile states to take greater ownership of their security. It's a move analysts interpret as part of a broader shift in the Trump administration's defense strategy — one that emphasizes homeland security and a reduced overseas military presence.
Zimbabwe's latest effort to stabilize its economy comes in the form of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), a gold-backed currency introduced in April 2024 to combat hyperinflation, restore confidence and address mounting debt. However, the ZiG has rapidly lost value on the parallel market. DW's Josey Mahachi speaks with Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) faces major challenges as US President Donald Trump plans to slash by half a billion dollars the US contribution to the AfDB's development fund, which offers low-priced financing to the continent's poor nations.
Malawi is struggling to find employment opportunities for its youth, and many are leaving the country in search of better prospects. A young population, high population growth rate, high unemployment, and comparatively low salaries for professionals may make emigration a particularly attractive option for many Malawians.
This year, the world marked International Day of UN Peacekeepers with an eye on the future of peacekeeping. But how do blue helmets currently operate in Africa, and what have their challenges been? Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Malawi Defense Forces Major Tadziwana Kapeni and DW's Ben Shemang in Abuja.
Uganda suspended military cooperation with Germany and accused its ambassador to Kampala of "subversive activities." But Berlin rejected the accusations as "absurd." Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Godber Tumushabe, Associate Director at Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies (GLISS) and DW's Frank Yiga in Uganda.
Kenya and Tanzania have been throwing mud at each other on social media following Tanzania's deportation of Kenyan activists.What implication does this diplomatic row have on regional integration? Eddy Micah Jr. speaks to Ruth Ambogo, a Kenyan lawyer, governance consultant, and political analyst, and Andrew Wasike, DW correspondent in Nairobi.
It is the first time that South Africa's crime statistics have been broken down by race as a result of the recent genocide claims by US President Donald Trump. DW's Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Dr Thokozani Chilenga-Butao, a lecturer in the Political Studies department at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and DW's Nontokozo Mchunu in Cape Town.
Uganda's parliament passed a law that permits military tribunals to try civilians, prompting protests from the opposition, who said the move violated a Supreme Court ruling in January that banned such trials, which the opposition claims silence opponents. Eddy Micah Jr. speaks to Dr. Bireete Sarah, Executive Director for the Center for Constitutional Governance, and DW's Frank Yiga in Kampala.
Despite the introduction of legislation to prevent the marriage of underage girls in Malawi, the practice remains relatively widespread. Traditional leaders are accused of perpetuating the problem and religious leaders are urging the government to step intervene. Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Memory Chisenga, a child rights activist, and DW correspondent Chimwemwe Padatha in Lilongwe.
Genetically modified organisms, or GMOS, are under intense scrutiny in Nigeria. Some of the country's scientists are concerned that genetically modified food could cause health and fertility issues while others argue that it can boost food security. Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Dr. Rufus Ebegba, who introduced GMOs in Nigeria, and DW correspondent Ben Shemang in Abuja.
With the crackdown on opposition parties during an election year, Tanzania faces a reckoning in terms of its democratic future. The ruling CCM party has governed Tanzania for decades, and President Samia Suluhu is up for re-election. What's at stake for Tanzania? Eddy Micah talks to Nicodemus Minde, researcher and political analyst at Institute for Security Studies, and DW's Khelef Mohammed.
Theft of medicines has been blamed for the US stopping funds for Zambia's fragile healthcare system. But as the southern African country now grapples with $50 million less, ordinary Zambians are bearing the brunt. Josey Mahachi talks to DW correspondent in Lusaka, Kathy Short, and Oliver Kaoma, Secretary General of the Zambia Medical Association.
Cameroon has over 300 villages, and the ongoing chieftaincy crises have affected dozens of them. However, in recent years, the country has experienced numerous chieftaincy disputes. So, what can traditional leaders do to maintain smooth transitions of power? Mimi Mefo talks to Fon ZOFOA III of Babungo Fondom in northwestern Cameroon, and correspondent Edwin Moki.
The World Bank has released a report that Nigeria's economic growth is the highest in last ten years. Meanwhile, the country continues to face many social and economic challenges. Are Nigerians feeling this growth in their pockets?