Today in Africa — January 15, 2026: Morocco vs Senegal in AFCON Final, Uganda Votes

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.

Senegal and Morocco Set Up AFCON Final Clash Between Continent’s Best Two Teams

Africa’s best-ranked men’s football teams, Senegal and Morocco, are set to face each other in the final match of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Both teams gritted out wins in the semifinal stage and are expected to play out a cracking match on Sunday, January 18. Maverick forward Sadio Mané provided the deciding moment for Senegal in the 78th minute, after he fired a low, powerful strike into the bottom right corner. Before that, the match was largely cagey, with the opposing Egyptian team plugging Senegal’s attacking spaces until a small lapse gave Mané just enough of a split second to conjure his magic.

Morocco had to wait till penalty shootout to get past Nigeria. The hosts were the better attacking side through the 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time play, as they registered 16 goal attempts. By contrast, the Nigerian team could only muster two attempts at a goal, and their central style of play was largely neutralized. Similar to Morocco’s 2-0 quarterfinal win against Cameroon, there were comments about the alleged heavy tilt in officiating favoring the hosts. However, the Atlas Lions generally played with more fervor and scored four of their five penalties, while Nigeria missed two of its four penalties.

Museveni Seeks Fifth Decade in Power as Uganda Votes Under Internet Blackout

Ugandans voted today, Thursday, January 15, in a tense presidential election held under an internet shutdown and heavy security, with President Yoweri Museveni saying he expected to win 80% of the vote as he seeks a seventh term that would stretch his rule toward five decades. His main challenger, pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, accused the authorities of “massive ballot stuffing,” saying his party’s agents were arrested and chased from polling stations as biometric voter machines failed and voting was delayed for hours in some areas, forcing the electoral commission to extend polling by one hour and fall back on paper registers.

The vote unfolded after a violent campaign season in which security forces killed at least one Wine supporter and arrested hundreds more, which Amnesty International described as a “brutal campaign of repression.” Museveni warned that any protests would be crushed, and critics said delays and the blackout imposed on Tuesday to curb what officials called misinformation hurt opposition turnout in urban areas. Results are due within 48 hours, as the election also revives debate over succession, with Museveni widely believed to favor his son, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, even as many Ugandans say any transition should come through the ballot box.

Trump’s New Security Strategy Treats Africa as a Mineral Play, Not a Democratic Partner

The United States’ new National Security Strategy under President Donald Trump barely mentions Africa, framing the continent mainly as a source of critical minerals and a front in the rivalry with China. In the 29-page document, Africa gets just three paragraphs, with Washington signaling less interest in governance or long-term development and more focus on deals around trade, resources, and influence. Recent moves reflect that shift, from Kenya delaying a China trade deal under U.S. pressure as it waits for AGOA renewal, to Washington holding back $1.5 billion in health aid to Zambia while pushing for access to key minerals.

Trump’s approach centers on what his team calls transactional, where diplomacy works as quid-pro-quo deals instead of value-based partnerships. That has shown up in agreements like the Washington Accords between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, which gave U.S. companies preferred access to Congolese minerals even as fighting continued on the ground. The strategy also links security cooperation to narrow goals, such as limited strikes against Islamist groups, while cutting aid, imposing tariffs, and striking migration and deportation deals with countries like Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan. African leaders now face pressure to chase short-term gains from these bilateral deals while trying to protect their long-term stability and sovereignty.

CAF Bans Samuel Eto’o for Four Matches Over AFCON Touchline Conduct

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has banned Cameroon football legend Samuel Eto’o for four matches and fined him $20,000 after ruling that he broke sportsmanship rules during Cameroon’s 2–0 AFCON quarterfinal loss to Morocco, where he was seen angrily reacting to officials’ calls. Eto’o, now head of Cameroon’s football federation, was sanctioned after CAF opened a wider probe into bad behavior during the last-eight games, a process his federation has slammed as unfair, as it backs him and plans to appeal, adding to the growing list of controversies that have followed Eto’o since he took office in 2021.

Ethiopia Accuses Eritrea of Arming Amhara Rebels as Tensions Rise

Ethiopian federal police say they seized 56,000 rounds of ammunition in the Amhara region and arrested two suspects who they claim were moving weapons sent by Eritrea to Fano rebels fighting the government, a charge Eritrea denied. Eritrea’s information minister said Addis Ababa was spreading “false flags” to justify a war, while President Isaias Afwerki warned that Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party had already declared one. The row deepens a sharp slide in relations between the two countries after their 2018 peace deal, with Eritrea angered by being shut out of Ethiopia’s 2022 Tigray peace talks and by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s repeated comments that landlocked Ethiopia needs access to the sea — remarks Eritrea sees as a threat, even as Abiy says he wants dialogue, not conflict.

Mass Grave of Migrants Found in Eastern Libya After Farm Raid

Libyan security forces say they uncovered a mass grave holding at least 21 migrant bodies near the town of Ajdabiya after raiding a farm where men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa were being held, with up to 10 survivors showing signs of torture. The farm owner has been arrested and admitted that the grave was on his land, while investigators work to determine how the migrants died. Libya remains a major transit hub for people trying to reach Europe or find work, but weak security has left migrants exposed to trafficking, ransom gangs, and deadly abuse, with dozens more dying this year in captivity or at sea and nearly 930,000 migrants now estimated to be spread across the country.

Deadly Floods Shut Parts of Kruger National Park in South Africa

Weeks of heavy rain in northern South Africa have forced the famed Kruger National Park to suspend visits and airlift guests and staff from flooded camps, as at least 19 people have died across Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. The weather service has issued its highest red-level alert, warning of more downpours of up to 200 millimeters over the next two days, with risks of more flooding, damage, and displacement. Park officials closed several entrances and halted day visits, saying animals can move to higher ground, but guests must be protected, while President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to visit the affected areas.

Africa CDC Halts U.S.-Backed Hepatitis B Trial in Guinea-Bissau Over Ethics

A $1.6 million U.S.-funded study that planned to test hepatitis B vaccines on newborns in Guinea-Bissau has been canceled after the Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC) said it raised serious ethical concerns, including withholding a proven, life-saving shot from some babies in a country where the virus is widespread. Africa CDC official Yap Boum says the trial can only move forward if it is redesigned to meet ethical standards, even as Guinea-Bissau officials say talks with the U.S. continue, while doctors and researchers welcomed the halt as a win for African children and for stronger oversight of research on the continent.

Nigerian Universities Union Cautiously Embraces New Deal with Government

Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed cautious optimism about a recently signed pact with the Nigerian government, but concerns remain about its implementation. The agreement was signed late last year and officially unveiled yesterday, Wednesday, January 14, replacing the 2009 pact that has been the trigger for multiple strikes and seizure of university activities over the years. In a 30-minute-long speech at the agreement’s unveiling, ASUU President Chris Piwuna said the union welcomed the renegotiated pact and hoped for its total implementation, but warned against any certainties that all obligations in the deal would be met, “looking at our history with the government and the poverty of sincerity.” The deal was negotiated over 14 months, following 14 years of failed attempts and conversations regarding the previous deal.

U.S. Firm Sues DR Congo Over Alleged Bribe Demands and Canceled Banking Deal

An American company called PayServices has filed a lawsuit in the United States accusing the Democratic Republic of Congo and senior officials of trying to extort bribes after a $72 million deal to help modernize the country’s public bank and digitize its economy fell apart. The Idaho-based firm says it was promised a $20 million payment under a joint venture signed in late 2023, but claims ministers and the central bank governor later demanded bribes and then moved to kill the project when it refused, while the DRC’s public enterprises ministry denies any wrongdoing and says PayServices is not legally a bank and was cut off to protect public funds.

Kenya Wins Early China Trade Deal With Duty-Free Access for Most Exports

Kenya says it has reached a preliminary trade agreement with China that would give 98 percent of Kenyan exports duty-free access to the Chinese market while a full bilateral deal is negotiated. The so-called Early Harvest Arrangement follows quiet talks last month and comes as Beijing moves to drop tariffs on most African countries, with middle-income states like Kenya required to sign bilateral pacts. Nairobi is hoping the deal will help shrink its huge trade gap with China, which stood at about $4.27 billion in 2024, though officials did not name the products that will qualify. Kenya says closer trade with China will not undermine its talks with the United States, as it also pushes for African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) renewal and a separate U.S. trade deal, even as China remains its biggest bilateral lender.

EU Sends Egypt €1 Billion as Part of €5 Billion Support Package

Egypt has received €1 billion from the European Union as part of a €5 billion macro-financial assistance deal, the country’s International Cooperation Ministry said. The money is the second payment after an initial tranche sent in January 2025, with another €3 billion still due in two installments in 2026 under the EU support package.