Regions
  • ARTICLES

    In Focus: Operational Risks in Cameroon

    Cameroon has regularly failed to attract the same levels of foreign direct investment as its Central African peers, despite boasting one of the most diversified and stable economies in the region. Following recent in-country research, our sub-Saharan Africa team provides an overview of three key operational risks to investors in the market.

  • ARTICLES

    The Overstretched Arm of the Law: Media Freedom in East Africa

    New legislation in Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique will lead to worsening restrictions for freedom of the press and freedom of expression in these jurisdictions, increasing the threat of detention against journalists and political commentators, writes Gabrielle Reid.

  • ARTICLES

    An Old Agenda Renewed: Boko Haram's Territorial Ambitions in Nigeria

    While Boko Haram’s previous efforts to control large areas of terrain were undermined by domestic and regional military efforts, a spate of recent attacks against towns and military barracks could point to a renewed campaign to seize territory in northern Nigeria. Gabrielle Reid looks into the prospects for a renewed territorial campaign by the Islamic… 

  • ARTICLES

    A Proxy President: Joseph Kabila’s plans to maintain power

    In August, president Joseph Kabila and the ruling Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie (PPRD) backed Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary as the party’s candidate in the long awaited December 2018 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The somewhat unexpected announcement ended prolonged speculation that the incumbent would seek… 

  • ARTICLES

    Angola after dos Santos: One year on

    Following his first 12 months in office, João Lourenço’s administration has been characterised by a strong anticorruption movement, dismantling the former regime and attempting to revive the Angolan economy. However, is this stance sustainable and is it a true indication of reform in the country.

  • ARTICLES

    Pulling the Crocodiles's Teeth: Mnangagwa's post-election challenges

    All eyes are on Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front’s (Zanu-PF) new leader and how he navigates the difficult political situation in Zimbabwe, in the first post-Mugabe elections in 38 years. However, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s greatest challenges could lie after the ballot is cast, writes Joschka Opitz.

  • ARTICLES

    No-Go Area: The Prospects for the Oil Industry in Nigeria’s Borno State

    The Nigerian government has long framed Borno State as a potential alternative to its south-eastern oil fields, amid speculation of significant oil reserves in the region. Yet, with Boko Haram’s ongoing insurgency there, coupled with a recent kidnapping in the area, the region is more likely to become a second Niger Delta than an answer to Nigeria’s… 

  • ARTICLES

    The Numbers are in: Kidnap for Ransom in South Africa

    South Africa has experienced a significant increase in reported kidnappings, with targets now including middle to upper-income businesspersons. Gabrielle Reid investigates the nature of these attacks and how South Africa’s worsening criminal underworld has offered the perfect environment for the growth of this lucrative crime.

  • ARTICLES

    The First 100 Days – An Assessment of Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed’s Time in Office

    Last week marked the end of Ethiopian Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed’s first 100 days in office. The new leader, appointed on 2 April, has embarked on a vigorous reform campaign, seeking to open up Ethiopia’s political and economic environments. Plans to privatise key sectors of the economy, including the aviation and telecommunications sectors, together…