ADF

Just before the sun began its evening retreat in the skies over Lagos, Nigeria, on January 27, 2002, a fire broke out in a city market near Isolo and Onigbongo districts, north of the urban center. The blaze soon grew and spread to the adjacent Ikeja Military Cantonment, the city’s largest such facility. Heat and flames ignited ammunition in the encampment’s weapons storage depot. As bullets popped, some feared yet another military coup was unfolding. Then the explosions started. Bombs and artillery rounds detonated, sending shells and mortars into thousands of homes, raining fire, shrapnel, destruction, and death on thousands…

As Africa’s population continues to grow, cities could see unprecedented levels of insecurity, from within and from outside, according to a 2025 study by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Africa is the world’s fastest-growing region. Researchers say that by 2050 the continent will add 1 billion people, growing to a population of 2.5 billion. “Eighty percent of this population growth will occur in cities,” according to the Africa Center report “Africa’s Unprecedented Urbanization is Shifting the Security Landscape.” Nearly half of Africans — more than 700 million people — already live in urban areas. The continent is projected to…

Recent advances in drone technology are changing the conduct of warfare, but these revolutionary developments are also outpacing the ethics rules that govern their use. Across the globe, the use of armed drones without proper oversight results in the deaths of innocent people. In the war between Russia and Ukraine, short-range drone attacks in Ukraine have killed 395 civilians and injured more than 2,600, according to a June 2025 United Nations report. Ukraine is now “the world’s most advanced drone theater,” accounting for 70% of the battlefield injuries and deaths, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies reported in 2025. Sudan…

The Nigerian Navy marked its 69th anniversary in 2025 by commissioning three patrol ships and three AW109 Trekker helicopters at a ceremony in Apapa, Lagos. The newly commissioned ships are the NNS Shere, the NNS Faro and the NNS Ikogosi. Nigeria acquired two of the Sea Eagle-class vessels from Singapore and one from South Korea. All arrived in Nigeria in December 2024, according to defenceWeb.  The 38-meter vessels are designed to patrol Nigeria’s coastal waters up to the 24-nautical-mile contiguous zone and are capable of extended operations. Their addition is expected to significantly improve the Navy’s presence and rapid response…

South Africa has joined Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Tunisia in deploying advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence and drones, to enhance border security.  South Africa’s technology upgrade includes four quadcopter drones to monitor locations known for illegal crossings. The drones can operate around the clock and use infrared cameras to track people crossing at night. Laser range finders pinpoint the potential border crossers’ location. A 10-day trial of the technology by South Africa’s Border Management Authority resulted in a 61% increase in apprehensions of people crossing the border. Experts believe that AI can help secure porous borders against traffickers, terrorists…

Nigeria’s Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has built a rifle-armed hexacopter drone to perform surveillance and conduct precise combat strikes.  The drone, which was displayed at the African Air Forces Forum in Lagos, can climb to an altitude of 400 meters and cover 40 kilometers in 40 minutes. The name, “hexacopter,” comes from its six arms, a design that supports an array of features. The drone was made from about 70% local components, including hardware and software, reflecting a goal of self-sufficiency championed by the institute. “This is not just about building drones,” Professor M. Alimony, AFIT’s director of…

Leaders of Senegal’s Armed Forces and Agency for Space Studies (ASES) signed a memorandum establishing a strategic cooperation framework between the defense and space sectors. Leaders called the deal historic and said it is part of a trend on the continent of increasing collaboration between militaries and space agencies as countries recognize the importance of satellite technology for surveillance, secure communications and national security. “We are taking a decisive step for the future today,” Senegalese Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces Gen. Mbaye Cissé said at the June 2025 signing. “This memorandum is of major strategic significance.” Established…

Ethiopia and Morocco signed a military cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening defense ties through joint training, exercises, scientific research and military health programs. The agreement establishes a joint military commission to oversee its implementation.  Ethiopia’s Defense Minister Aisha Mohammed Mussa and Abdellatif Loudiyi, Morocco’s minister in charge of the National Defense Administration signed the accord on June 17, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco.  Several weeks before the signing, Ethiopia hosted a high-level delegation of Moroccan officers at Homicho Ammunition Engineering Complex and the Ethiopian Air Force headquarters, where they were briefed on Ethiopia’s efforts to improve defense manufacturing and operational readiness.…

In a new initiative, Ghana offered college graduates the opportunity to experience what it is like to serve in the armed forces. Interested graduates can register for a six-week basic training course that will test their discipline, resilience and teamwork, “while fostering a greater appreciation of national security imperatives,” the Ghana Armed Forces said.  An initial group of 10,000 volunteers is participating in the course that began August 31, 2025, and is designed to train young Ghanaians in emergency response, security and civic responsibility. “This programme is not compulsory; it is voluntary,” then-Minister of Defence Dr. Edward Omane Boamah said.…

The Kenya Defence Forces destroyed 6,000 illegal firearms in Ngong, Kajiado County, in an event attended by President William Ruto. This action is part of the government’s fight against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons that fuel banditry and intercommunal violence in parts of the country. The firearms were recovered between 2022 and 2025, with the majority voluntarily surrendered by the public through amnesty programs and community disarmament campaigns. Officials also recovered a significant number in targeted security operations. “I commend both our security agencies and responsible citizens, including religious and community leaders, whose civic-mindedness and patriotism have…