October 8, 2025: Cameroon’s Lone Woman Candidate Challenges Paul Biya’s 43-Year Rule, Red Cross Says 200 Eastern DRC Clinics Are out of Medicine, Mali Faces Fuel Shortages

Every day, OkayAfrica shares a roundup of news we’re following but haven’t published as full articles. These short updates cover what’s happening on the continent — in culture, politics, and beyond. For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions.

Cameroon’s Tomaino Ndam Njoya Challenges Biya’s 43-Year Rule in Historic Presidential Bid

Tomaino Ndam Njoya, a veteran lawmaker and Mayor of Foumban, is making history as one of 12 candidates — and the only woman — in Cameroon’s October 12 presidential race, aiming to end Paul Biya’s four-decade rule. The 56-year-old leader of the Democratic Union for Cameroon, author and entrepreneur, has built momentum by uniting former rivals behind her and appealing to both local voters and the diaspora. Her campaign, themed “Freedom. Justice. Progress,” centers on ending the Anglophone crisis, fighting youth unemployment, and pushing for federal reform.

Ndam Njoya’s candidacy, supported by over a dozen former presidential contenders, marks a rare moment of opposition unity in a country long dominated by Biya’s ruling party. The longtime president, now 92, made his first campaign appearance yesterday, Tuesday, October 7, promising better security and jobs in the country’s north. But with the opposition divided and Biya’s party firmly in control of state institutions, Ndam Njoya’s bid — while historic — faces steep odds in a political system resistant to change.

ICRC Warns of Health Crisis as 200 Clinics in Eastern DRC Run Out of Medicine

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says more than 200 health facilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have completely run out of medicine after months of fighting between government forces and M23 rebels. A survey of 240 clinics in North and South Kivu found that nearly 90% had no supplies left, while 40% faced staff shortages and 13% were completely nonfunctional. The ICRC warned that lives are “at immediate risk” as malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, and other illnesses go untreated.

The conflict, intensified by M23’s capture of Goma earlier this year, has left thousands dead and disrupted critical humanitarian supply lines. The Red Cross urged all armed parties to guarantee safe passage for medical workers as patients continue to travel long distances for care. “We are losing many limbs due to the delay in accessing treatment,” said an ICRC staffer in Beni, where many arrive with infected wounds. The healthcare collapse comes as aid funding for the region continues to decline despite rising needs.

Fuel Blockade Deepens Crisis in Mali as al-Qaida-Linked Fighters Target Tankers

Severe fuel shortages have gripped Mali’s capital, Bamako, after militants linked to al-Qaida imposed a blockade on fuel imports, attacking tankers from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. Long queues stretched across gas stations this week as residents struggled to find fuel, with some traveling more than 20 kilometers (about 12.5 miles) in search of supplies. The crisis, triggered by attacks from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has crippled transport and threatens to further weaken Mali’s fragile economy.

Analysts say the blockade is part of a strategy to undermine the ruling military junta, which seized power in 2021, pledging to restore security. The Malian Petroleum Importers Association reports that more than 100 fuel trucks have been burned or destroyed, and several drivers have been killed. In response, the army has begun escorting tanker convoys and says it has destroyed rebel hideouts near the border with Côte d’Ivoire. Despite these efforts, residents fear worsening shortages as JNIM expands its campaign across the Sahel.

Violence in Northern Mozambique Forces 22,000 to Flee in One Week, UN Warns

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says violence in northern Mozambique is surging again, forcing nearly 22,000 people to flee their homes in just one week in late September — one of the largest waves of displacement this year. The conflict, now in its eighth year, has affected all 17 districts of Cabo Delgado province, where attacks, abductions, and village raids by armed groups have intensified. Over 1.3 million people have been displaced since 2017, with civilians facing growing insecurity, food shortages, and collapsing infrastructure.

UNHCR officials say children, women, and the elderly are among those most at risk, with reports of forced recruitment, sexual violence, and killings. Many of the newly displaced were once hosts to others escaping earlier attacks, but now find themselves uprooted again. Despite ongoing humanitarian efforts, the agency says only $66 million of its $352 million appeal has been funded this year, leaving relief operations severely strained. The UN has urged renewed global attention and support, warning that “the crisis in northern Mozambique is far from over.”

Burkina Faso Arrests Eight NGO Workers on Espionage and Treason Charges

Burkina Faso has arrested eight employees of the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) — four locals and four foreigners, including its country director — on charges of espionage and treason. Security Minister Mahamadou Sana accused the group of collecting unauthorized data on military operations and insurgent movements, as well as tallying death tolls from attacks. INSO, which provides safety information to humanitarian groups, has denied the allegations, saying its work helps NGOs protect staff. The arrests come amid tightening restrictions on foreign organizations in Burkina Faso, which has faced years of escalating jihadist violence.

Nigeria Launches First Fully-Owned Oil Storage Vessel to Boost Exports

Nigeria has commissioned its first fully owned Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel, the Cawthorne, near the Bonny export terminal to strengthen crude oil exports and reduce losses from pipeline vandalism and theft. The 2.2-million-barrel capacity vessel—developed by national oil company NNPC Ltd., Sahara Group, Eroton Exploration & Production, and Bilton Energy—will serve Oil Mining Lease 18 and nearby fields in the Niger Delta. Designed to store and transfer crude directly to export tankers, it aims to ease transport bottlenecks and cut carbon emissions from barge movements, helping the country meet its 2025 production goal of 50,000 barrels per day.