ADF

Ethiopia and Nigeria are joining forces to develop a fleet of African-made aerial drones capable of civilian and military applications. In July 2025, Ethiopian officials hosted members of the Nigerian Air Force on tours of Ethiopia’s aircraft manufacturing and maintenance facilities. Nigeria has promised the Ethiopians a reciprocal visit focused on Nigeria’s military training institutions. The visits are the latest step toward increasing the number of indigenous African unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in a market flooded by technology imported from China, Iran and Turkey.  By pooling resources, two of the continent’s most experienced dronemakers and users can develop a homegrown…

Senegalese and Mauritanian armed forces have intensified joint security operations along their shared border in response to growing terrorism in the region.  Both militaries patrolled a river covering several localities between Bakel-Aroundou and Diougountourou on the Malian border in October 2025, according to Senegal’s Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the Armed Forces (DIRPA). This comes after a September joint ground patrol in the same area. The countries, separated by the Senegal River, have established closer collaboration as terror groups in western Mali try to exploit weaknesses and push toward the coast. In July 2025, the terror group Jama’at…

Somalia has unveiled a national strategy designed to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the weapon of choice for terror group al-Shabaab. The effort has been in the works since 2023, when experts conducted a baseline assessment of the country’s C-IED capabilities. The strategy, announced at a September 2025 event in Mogadishu, provides a framework for adding more explosive ordnance disposal units to the Somali National Army and improving interagency collaboration. “This is a historic milestone for our country. Never before have we had a unified, nationally owned framework to address the IED threat,” said Awes Hagi Yusuf Ahmed, Somalia’s national…

Nigeria announced plans to open an Armed Forces Museum that it says will honor its military heritage by preserving the past and promoting scholarship to guide its future.  Gen. Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s then-chief of defense staff, described the project as a landmark initiative and said it would open in 2026 on 10 acres in Abuja. “It will serve not only as a repository of military artifacts and service records but also as a hub for education, tourism and economic opportunities,” Musa said. The museum is expected to create jobs for veterans and civilians and will feature multilingual, immersive education programs…

The Mauritanian defense minister and his Czech counterpart have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in military training, defense technologies, and special forces and peacekeeping training. It includes provisions for sharing Czech expertise when needed and mutual visits, according to intelligence website Groupe ADIT. The deal also enables intelligence sharing and counterterrorism and cybersecurity cooperation. The countries will collaborate on protection against chemical, radiological, nuclear and cyber threats, ADIT reported. The pact solidifies Czechia’s commitment to training Mauritania’s armed forces for two years. The collaboration, supported by NATO, builds on a growing relationship that Czech President Petr Pavel initiated…

France joined the South African Navy’s annual force preparation exercise, Red Lion, which concluded in late August 2025. The Navy conducted the three-week program across multiple sites nationwide. It put naval crews, vessels and support units through a series of drills designed to sharpen their abilities in diverse scenarios from maritime combat to disaster response, Military Africa reported. The exercise involved military personnel and civilian agencies. The operation emphasized practical simulations that mirrored real-world challenges such as civil unrest and natural disasters affecting public safety and security. It included simulated media interactions to handle public communications during crises, briefings on…

To secure Africa’s longest coastline, Somalia has signed a 10-year partnership with Turkey for maritime security and law enforcement. Somalia loses $300 million a year to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing along its 3,300-kilometer coastline on the northern Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, according to the Enhancing Africa’s Response to Transnational Organized Crime (ENACT) project. Somalia has been plagued with terrorism, piracy, weak governance, political instability and ineffective law enforcement. Most illegal fishing in Somalia is carried out by foreign fishing vessels. A Mogadishu-based researcher told ENACT that some foreign vessel operators illegally obtain fishing licenses, making it impossible…

Amina of Zazzau was born a princess, raised in wealth and privilege. But her mother and grandfather saw to it that she also was trained as a warrior. Today she is remembered as one of West Africa’s great military leaders. The princess was born about 1533 in Zazzau, one of seven original states of the Hausa Kingdom, in what is now Nigeria. Even in her early years, her grandfather recognized her intelligence and bearing. He trained her along with his soldiers, and she accompanied him to state meetings. Her mother gave her responsibility for a section of the capital city,…

CLUES The Ibadites created five fortified cities in the 10th century. The architecture was designed for community living while respecting family structures. A mosque, whose minaret functions as a watchtower, dominates each miniature walled citadel. Houses here are built around the mosques in concentric circles. ANSWER  M’Zab Valley, Algeria

The recent attack on a Malian Army base near the community of Aguelhok was the latest example of insurgent groups in the country using armed drones against government and paramilitary forces. The attack by the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) in early April targeted a military base near the community used by the Malian Army (FAMa) and fighters working for Russia’s Africa Corps. The attack was the latest in a series of FLA assaults on regional military bases. In late March, the group attacked a joint FAMa-Africa Corps base in nearby Anéfis. A few days before, they launched their first attack…