West Africa

Somalia adopts revised constitution; President Mohamud hails ‘historic achievement’ amid opposition boycott MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday hosted an iftar dinner for members of both houses of parliament, praising lawmakers for approving Somalia’s revised constitution after months of heated debate and years of stalled review. The gathering at a Mogadishu hotel came a day after a joint sitting of the House of the People and the Upper House voted to adopt amendments that complete a…

Nigeria's Historic Settlement Paves Way for Oil Development President Bola Tinubu has presided over the successful conclusion of a historic settlement agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria, ENI, and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAEL), resolving the long-running dispute about Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245. The agreement brings to a close 15 years of legal battles over OPL 245, paving the way for the development of one of Nigeria's most significant deepwater resources. This resolution is viewed as a…

Opinion: Somalia’s rushed constitutional push risks deepening division. An agreed election must come first. Somalia’s 2012 Provisional Constitution was conceived as a bridge from state collapse to national healing. The latest attempt to declare it “completed” has instead opened old wounds. Driven through amid allegations of political pressure, opaque deal-making and procedural shortcuts, the process has intensified mistrust at a moment when the federal institutions near the end of their mandates. The priority now is not to…

Farmaajo warns Somalia risks instability over unilateral constitutional changes as term nears end MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo warned that unilateral constitutional changes and disputed election plans could push Somalia toward political instability as the current presidential term nears its end, urging President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to pull back from what he called one-sided decisions. Farmaajo says rushing constitutional amendments without consensus could destabilize Somalia…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has named Zakariye Yusuf Hussein deputy director general of the Presidential Palace, a senior Villa Somalia post the government cast as part of a wider push to modernize public administration and elevate youth participation in decision-making. The appointment was announced Thursday in a presidential decree. The move follows a recent reshuffle at the presidency after Mohamed Amin Sheikh Osman, who previously held the deputy director general role, was appointed Somalia’s…

Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appoints Zakariye Yusuf Hussein deputy director general at Villa Somalia in youth-focused reform move MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday appointed Zakariye Yusuf Hussein as deputy director general of the Presidential Palace, known as Villa Somalia, in a decree presented by the presidency as part of efforts to promote youth participation in governance and modernize public administration. The leadership change follows the reassignment of Mohamed Amin Sheikh Osman,…

Tunji Disu Sworn in as Nigeria's New Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu has officially taken office as the new Inspector-General of Police, succeeding his predecessor who stepped down in February under circumstances widely believed to have been influenced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Although an official statement attributed the resignation to "pressing family considerations," political analysts speculate that it was part of a broader reshuffle requested by the president. The presidency has expressed optimism…

Mogadishu’s constitutional limbo has defined Somalia’s federal transition for more than a decade. With the adoption of Article 63 in the amended constitution, lawmakers have drawn a new map for the capital and the wider Benadir Region—one that elevates local representation while keeping national authorities firmly in charge of security and other strategic levers. It is a hybrid that resists easy labels, neither a full Federal Member State nor a city simply run from the center. The decision settles years of debate over…

Somalia’s Cabinet clears raft of international pacts, adopts performance policy to tighten governance Moves include IAEA safeguards ratification, U.N. drug and maritime conventions, and visa-free diplomatic travel with Pakistan MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Council of Ministers on Thursday approved a package of international agreements and domestic policy measures aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties, aligning regulations with global standards and improving the performance of federal institutions. At its weekly meeting in…

Synthetic Drug Crisis in West Africa: A Public Health Emergency A new report warns that the proliferation of synthetic drugs across West Africa presents the most "urgent and complex" public health and security challenges facing the region. Published by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, the report says the burden of consumption—and its devastating consequences—falls disproportionately on young people. "The crisis has grown so severe that since 2024, two countries have declared states of…