ADF

An Egyptian subsidiary has begun production of 10 high-tech patrol vessels for the Egyptian Navy to be used for surveillance and defense. NVL Egypt, a subsidiary of German company Naval Vessels Lürssen, is building 10 PV43-M patrol vessels for the Navy. NVL Egypt was founded in 2022. The company said production began in late 2025, after it was selected as the main contractor two years earlier.  The PV43 is a 43-meter-long offshore patrol vessel designed for maritime surveillance, emergency response and asset protection. It can be configured with large guns and anti-ship missiles, according to defenceWeb. “This program represents a…

Nigeria is working to acquire 24 M-346FA fighter jets and 10 AW-109 helicopters from Italy, a landmark deal that signals a major upgrade of its airpower. The $1.4 billion deal with defense company Leonardo includes training, spare parts and support services to maintain the fleet. At the beginning of 2026, six of the M-346FAs were in advanced stages of production, with three still under flight tests, Business Insider Africa reported. Italian sources said that once completed, Nigeria’s deal will be the largest military procurement investment by a West African nation, The Defense Post website reported.  Nigeria decided to adopt Italian…

The United States has announced a new initiative to work with African countries to strengthen space capabilities, improve access to technology and promote development.  The first U.S.-Africa Technical and Regulatory Space Training Meeting took place in December 2025. Several additional meetings took place in the run-up to the NewSpace Africa Conference in April 2026 in Libreville, Gabon.  Ambassador Jonathan Pratt, then with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, said the program aims to support African nations in creating and funding independent domestic programs that connect with other space programs around the world. It will help nations navigate the…

The South African Border Management Authority (BMA) has partnered with high-tech defense companies to boost security at two of the country’s busiest border crossings.  The companies deployed an integrated suite of surveillance, mobility and protective technologies at the Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, and Lebombo, Mozambique, border crossings during the holiday travel season that began in December 2025. The public-private partnership was a pilot project to demonstrate what is possible when the government works with the defense and technology sectors. “This collaboration represents a growing model of South African-global technology partnership,” the companies said, as reported by defenceWeb. “These capabilities will strengthen real-time…

As cybercriminals target African businesses and government institutions, the CyberSafe Foundation is set to launch Resilio Africa, a three-year project designed to reduce the risk of cyberattacks in communities. The project, supported by Google, aims to make communities and local institutions stronger and safer in the digital space. Resilio Africa will help 200 critical community institutions (CCIs) by giving them free technical tools, cybersecurity assessments, threat intelligence and incident-response support. The program is expected to protect more than 2 million people and secure more than 15 million public records in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. It is one of the…

The Nigerian Army is launching an ambitious plan to overhaul its training and its operational and administrative frameworks. The plan was announced by Lt. Gen. W. Shaibu, chief of Army staff, during his annual conference in Lagos in December 2025. It is meant to improve professionalism, combat readiness and adaptability.  Shaibu said training must be mission-oriented and produce operational effectiveness and battlefield success. The reforms will include a comprehensive review of curricula across all Nigerian Army training institutions. “You play a critical role in shaping the competence, mindset and resilience of our officers and Soldiers,” Shaibu told attendees at Division…

When flash floods and landslides struck western Kenya, Kenya Defence Forces personnel were part of a multiagency team conducting search and rescue operations. The November 2025 operation in Chesongoch focused on rescuing survivors, recovering the bodies of victims and offering emergency medical assistance. Rain on November 1 left the region inaccessible by road. Mudslides destroyed an estimated 1,000 homes and killed more than 30 people. First responders included the Kenya Air Force’s Rapid Response Unit teams, the Kenya Red Cross, Eldoret Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital staff, the National Police Service, and local volunteers. During the first two days of…

In a first-of-its-kind event, the Senegalese Armed Forces held a competition for 20 ground force units in eight physical challenges. The Guelwaar Challenge included competitions in endurance running, an obstacle course, tactical shooting, combat first aid, orienteering, tactics and swimming.  Organizers created the event, whose Wolof name translates to “the noble one,” to raise standards of excellence and physical fitness among the rank and file. “Sport occupies a key place in the armed forces in general and in the Army in particular in the operational preparation of units,” Gen. Simon Ndour, chief of Army staff, said during the opening ceremonies…

The United Nations secretary-general has called for action to prioritize peacekeeping in Africa, including promoting the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns” initiative. Secretary-General António Guterres made the recommendation at U.N. Headquarters in New York after the ninth conference between the global body and the AU. “Cooperation between our organizations has never been stronger — or more necessary,” Guterres said at a news briefing alongside the chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. “Our world is in turmoil, rocked by deadly conflicts, widening inequalities, climate chaos and runaway technologies. The impacts are felt deeply on the African continent.” Guterres said…

An Algerian official has pledged her country’s continued commitment to Africa’s fight against terrorism, saying extremists are a threat to the continent’s way of life. Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Salma Bakhta Mansouri said Algeria is making an active contribution to advance peace, stability and sustainable development in Africa. Mansouri spoke in December 2025 in Algiers at an expert consultative workshop on the draft Strategic Plan of Action on Countering Terrorism.  She said, “terrorism is no longer a temporary phenomenon or confined to specific geographical areas, but has evolved into a cross-border threat, adaptable and fueled…