Today in Africa — December 8, 2025: Golden Globes Noms, RSF Seizes Sudan Oilfield, Nigeria Helps Benin After Foiled Coup

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.

Golden Globes: Erivo, Edebiri, and North African Stories Earn Nods

Nigerian British actress and singer Cynthia Erivo has been nominated for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her role in Wicked: For Good, while Nigerian American actress Ayo Edebiri is up for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for her work on The Bear. Their nominations place two actors of Nigerian heritage in major acting categories at the 2026 Golden Globes, which will air on January 11, 2026.

North African stories also appear on the non-English feature list. Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab is nominated for Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, alongside Sirāt, a Spanish production filmed in Morocco. Both titles bring North African settings and directors into the international film field.

Paramilitary Takes Control of Strategic Oil Field in Sudan

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced that it has taken control of the Heglig oilfield in Sudan’s South Kordofan region. It made the claim earlier today, which has been supported by Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF), sharing a statement that it had withdrawn from the oilfield. An engineer told news agency AFP that many soldiers and workers in Heglig were evacuated to neighboring South Sudan, who are also affected by this development. Heglig is one of two key oil-producing operations for Sudan, and it also houses the main oil processing facility for South Sudan, from where it uses Sudan’s infrastructure to export its oil products.

Youssef Alian, the head of the RSF-affiliated “civil administration” in the oilfield’s region, said a special force was prepared to “secure the Heglig field and protect oil installations from any acts of sabotage or threats that may affect their safety.” Since its violent takeover of western Darfur, RSF has been advancing into more areas in the east and south, with an apparent emphasis on controlling resources. Entry into Heglig has been limited to a task force created to protect the oilfield, Alian said. “The liberation of the Heglig oil region is a pivotal point in the liberation of the entire homeland,” the RSF said in a statement.

Benin Says Coup Attempt Foiled as Nigeria Sends Jets and Troops to Help Restore Order

Benin’s President Patrice Talon says the military crushed an attempted coup after mutinous soldiers opened fire across Cotonou, briefly seized state television, and claimed to have toppled his government on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Talon says loyal forces “stood firm” and recaptured all positions, vowing severe punishment for what he called “treachery.” Authorities have arrested 14 people so far, as neighboring Nigeria deployed fighter jets and ground troops at Benin’s request to help retake key sites and secure the country’s airspace. The government later revealed that the mutineers kidnapped two senior officers during the chaos. Both were freed today, Monday, December 8, 2025.

Gunfire and explosions rattled several neighborhoods throughout Sunday as soldiers announced a military committee was dissolving national institutions and suspending the constitution. Analysts say frustration over rising jihadist attacks in northern Benin may have played a role, but the coup attempt still surprised many in a country that has not seen a successful takeover since 1972. With presidential elections set for April and political tensions already high, ECOWAS and the African Union condemned the coup effort and ordered elements of the regional standby force to deploy to Benin.

DRC Accuses Rwanda of Violating Peace Commitments as Fighting Escalates

Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi says Rwanda is already violating the commitments both countries reaffirmed in Washington last week, December 4, 2025, as fresh violence erupts in eastern DRC. Over the weekend, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized the village of Luvungi near the Burundi border, prompting clashes that spread to nearby Sange, where up to 36 civilians were killed in a bombing or grenade strike. The source of the blast remains unclear, and neither the Congolese army nor M23 has commented. The renewed fighting comes just days after Congo and Rwanda signed U.S. – and Qatar-brokered agreements meant to halt a conflict that has raged for years.

On the ground, M23 continues to expand its control despite participating in separate peace talks hosted by Qatar. Reuters reporting shows the group has built a parallel governing system across captured territory, complete with provincial officials, tax collection, road projects, and a growing military force. Analysts warn that this state-within-a-state threatens any chance of a durable settlement, especially since M23 is not a party to the Congo-Rwanda pact. Rwanda again denied backing the rebels, saying any deployments are defensive. The U.S. has called for the DRC to regain authority over its territory, but with M23 entrenching itself and fighting rising, experts fear the DRC may be heading toward deeper fragmentation.

Some Students Abducted from Nigerian School Have Been Released; Over 100 Still Being Held

100 students kidnapped from a Catholic secondary school in Niger State, north-central Nigeria, have been released. Over 300 students and 12 staff were abducted by armed attackers on November 21, 2025. 50 of the students escaped shortly after, leaving over 250 still held by the attackers. According to reports, the 100 released students were brought to the capital city, Abuja, over the weekend and are set to be returned home today. 

As is often the case with large numbers of students freed from armed terrorists, the Nigerian government hasn’t disclosed whether the release was achieved through a military operation or negotiations. In such cases, analysts believe the government negotiates, especially when arrests aren’t reported. During a meeting with parents of the kidnapped children last Monday, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu said the abducted students “are doing fine and will return soon.” It remains to be seen when the remaining 100-plus students and staff will be released or rescued.

Alassane Ouattara Sworn In for Fourth Term as Cȏte d’Ivoire President

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has been sworn in to office for a fourth term. The 83-year-old won October’s election with 89% of the vote, although the vote was marked by low voter turnout and unrest, as well as the barring of the main opposition candidate. At least 11 people were killed, and 1,650 people were arrested during the election. “This vote is a choice for stability, peace, and development,” Ouattara said of his victory. This should be his final term under Cȏte d’Ivoire’s constitution, which was amended during his second term to allow him to run beyond his initial two terms. He ran for a third term despite initially saying he wasn’t interested in remaining president, and he delayed announcing his candidacy for a fourth term until a few months before this year’s vote. Although he’s been accused of stifling opposition, he’s been credited with engineering his country’s economic growth.

Tanzania’s Independence Day Protests Declared ‘Coup Attempt’ as Security Forces Deploy 

Tanzania’s government has declared planned anti-government protests tomorrow, Tuesday, December 9, 2025, illegal, calling them an attempted coup and sending heavy police and military deployments into major cities. Activists and the opposition urged nationwide demonstrations, the anniversary of mainland Tanzania’s independence, after October’s election unrest, in which the UN believes hundreds were killed. Home Affairs Minister George Simbachawene said security forces would “handle” any gatherings, while the U.N. human rights office urged authorities to respect peaceful assembly and lift the ongoing protest ban. Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba appealed to citizens to stay home, and police said no protest notifications had been filed. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has denied allegations of excessive force in October and accused protesters of trying to topple her government, even as the U.S. reviews its ties with Tanzania over the violence and broader rights concerns.

Nigerian Police Uncover More Than 100 Corpses in Suspected Organ-Harvesting Case

Police in Nigeria’s Imo state have sealed a hotel and private mortuary after more than 100 decomposed and mutilated bodies were found during a weekend raid, prompting an investigation into suspected organ-harvesting operations. Imo police spokesperson Henry Okoye said the raid followed intelligence on a now-wanted suspect believed to own the properties, and that forensic experts and state officials collected evidence on site. Additional materials were recovered from the suspect’s home, Okoye said, as authorities widened the search for accomplices. The discovery comes amid rising criminal activity in Nigeria, where kidnapping gangs have increasingly been linked to ritual killings and possible organ-trafficking networks.

DRC Faces Worst Cholera Outbreak in 25 Years, Nearly 2,000 Dead

The Democratic Republic of Congo is confronting its deadliest cholera outbreak in decades, with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reporting almost 2,000 deaths and more than 64,000 cases since January. Children have been hit especially hard — in one Kinshasa orphanage, 16 of 62 died within days of the disease spreading. Seventeen of the country’s 26 provinces are now affected, a crisis driven by conflict, poor access to clean water, and severely underfunded sanitation systems. Only 43% of Congolese have basic water services, UNICEF said, as it called for more support to sustain emergency response efforts and warned that deaths will continue without immediate action.

Malawi Abolishes School Fees in Major Push for Free Education

Malawi’s new president, 85-year-old Peter Mutharika, has scrapped nearly all school-related fees in primary and secondary education, fulfilling a key campaign promise aimed at improving literacy and boosting enrollment. Tuition, examination fees, development fees, and exam ID charges have all been abolished, with only boarding fees remaining for secondary students. The policy is set to take effect in January as the country battles an economic crisis and low school completion rates — only 33% finish primary school and 4% make it through upper secondary. Education experts welcomed the move but warned that schools may struggle financially without these contributions, while supporters argue that cutting corruption and strengthening public resources could make free education sustainable.