Today in Africa — January 28, 2026: Ex-Nigerian Oil Minister in UK Court for Bribery, Ghana Grants IShowSpeed a Passport

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.

Former Nigerian Oil Minister Faces Bribery Trial in the UK

A UK court has begun a trial into bribery allegations against former Nigerian oil minister Dieziani Alison-Madueke, with the prosecution alleging that over £2 million ($2.75 million) was spent at luxury department store Harrods on her behalf. The prosecutors stated that payment cards belonging to Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and his company, Tenka Limited, were used in the purchases from the store. The former minister, who is also the former president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the first woman to hold this post, was also allegedly feted with multimillion-pound properties, as well as receiving £4.6 million ($6.3 million) that was used in the refurbishment of properties in London and Buckinghamshire. Alison-Madueke, who appeared in court, has denied all five counts of accepting or conspiring to accept bribes.

Over the course of her time as Minister of Petroleum Resources, Alison-Madueke inflamed public opinion due to a litany of bribery and corruption allegations, seemingly using her post to not just enrich herself but also flaunt obscene levels of wealth. A PBS Newshour report cited American and British officials saying that she might have personally overseen the stealing of up to $6 billion while facilitating opaque oil deals with businesses that were willing to work with her. Prosecutor Alexandra Healy KC stated that those seeking lucrative oil deals at the time “provided significant financial or other advantages to Alison-Madueke.” The trial continues and is expected to last for 12 weeks.

Ghanaian Government to Issue Passport to Streamer IShowSpeed

Online reactions to the announcement that popular streamer and content creator IShowSpeed is set to be issued a Ghanaian passport have ranged from supportive to apathetic. Foreign affairs minister Samuel Okudzeto stated on X that Speed, who visited Ghana in the penultimate stop of his “Speed Does Africa” tour, will be granted a passport following “subsequent confirmation of the irrefutable ties” to the West African country. Multiple people replied to Okudzeto’s post, mocking the decision, wondering why the government was handing out a passport to Speed for spending a day in the country without any extensive process. Some, including popular content creator Wode Maya, praised the move as a way to strengthen Ghana’s cultural soft power. The American streamer spent his day in Ghana visiting multiple iconic cultural sites, and he took part in a traditional naming ceremony, where he was given the name Barima Kofi Akuffo.

Kenyan Court Dismisses Petition by 1998 Nairobi Bombing Victims

A Kenyan high court has dismissed a compensation claim by victims and families of those affected in the August 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi. In his ruling, Justice Lawrence Mugambi stated that the case lacked a sufficient legal basis and failed to show that the Kenyan government had any actionable intelligence that could have led to proactive measures. 213 people died, and over 4,000 were injured when a truck packed with high-explosive material exploded in the embassy’s vicinity, a coordinated attack that took place almost simultaneously with a similar bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The majority of those killed and wounded in the Nairobi bombing were Kenyans.

In their case, the victims and their families claimed that state agencies may have known about the attack and failed to stop it; however, Mugambi said there wasn’t sufficient evidence, citing that the U.S. government didn’t fault the Kenyan government despite losing 12 Americans in the bombing. Mike Kitivo, a member of the consortium of victims, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling. “For close to three decades, these men and women you're seeing over here and elsewhere have been waiting for justice to be served. We are very disappointed.” The group is set to appeal the ruling, possibly all the way to the International Criminal Court, with hopes of seeking compensation from countries whose banks financed al-Qaeda’s terrorist activities.

Senegalese Actress Halima Gadji Dies at 35

Halima Gadji, the Senegalese actress and model best known for her role as Marième Dial in the hit TV series Mistress of a Married Man, has passed away after an illness in France, according to Senegal’s Press Agency, APS. Born in Dakar in 1989, Gadji built a wide-ranging career as an actress, model, fashion consultant, and entrepreneur, rising to fame through roles that sparked national conversation and drew large audiences. She had earlier posted on social media about casting for a new Canal+ Afrique reality series, Nouvelle Reine. Senegal’s Ministry of Culture confirmed her passing this week, calling her a leading figure in African television whose work helped make screen storytelling a space for reflection and dialogue, and describing her passing as a major loss for the country’s artistic community.

Ugandan Court Frees Rights Activist Sarah Bireete on Bail After Election Arrest

Sarah Bireete, a prominent Ugandan human rights advocate, was released on bail today, Wednesday, January 28, after her detention sparked concern over a broader crackdown on dissent ahead of the country’s January 15 general election. Bireete, who leads the Centre for Constitutional Governance, was arrested in late December after publicly questioning the accuracy of the voter register and later charged over the alleged unlawful disclosure of voter information. A Kampala magistrate said she met all requirements for bail. Her arrest drew condemnation from groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which called for her unconditional release. The case comes as 81-year-old President Yoweri Museveni, Africa’s third-longest serving head of state, secured another term with 71.6% of the vote, results rejected by opposition leader Bobi Wine, who is now in hiding. Rights groups say the government has used security forces to silence critics, a charge authorities deny.

Interpol-Listed Fugitive Was Working as a Personal Trainer At a Cape Town Gym 

A personal trainer working at a Virgin Active gym in Constantia, a plush suburb in South Africa’s Cape Town, has been suspended after reporters established he appears to match a man listed by Interpol as wanted by Romania for drug trafficking. Virgin Active confirmed that Stan Stamenov, a Bulgarian national contracted at its Constantia club, was suspended pending an internal review after questions were raised about an active Interpol red notice under the name Stanislav Sevdanilov Stamenov. The notice, which Interpol says is a request to locate and provisionally arrest a suspect, links the individual to narcotics trafficking. Daily Maverick also reported that Stamenov had previously been linked to Krasimir Kamenov, one of four Bulgarians killed in Constantia in 2023. Virgin Active says it is working with authorities to verify whether the trainer is the same person named in the red notice and will act based on the outcome of that process.

Ethiopia Arrests 22 in Major Migrant Smuggling Network

Police in Ethiopia have arrested 22 people accused of running a large migrant smuggling ring that trafficked nearly 2,000 people toward Europe via Libya, authorities say. Investigators say the group lured migrants with false promises, then held them in warehouses, forced them to call families for ransom, and kept them captive until payments were made. Officials estimate the network earned more than 2.16 billion birr, about $13 million, and was linked to at least two deaths and 15 people who remain missing. Ethiopia is a major departure point for migrants heading to Europe and the Gulf, and the arrests follow a broader crackdown that last year saw five traffickers sentenced to death, though executions have not been carried out in the country since 2007.

Congo Rebel Leader Slams U.S.–DRC Minerals Deal as Unconstitutional

Corneille Nangaa, leader of the rebel coalition Alliance Fleuve Congo, has called the December 4 strategic minerals deal between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United States deeply flawed and unconstitutional, casting doubt on whether it can be implemented in conflict-hit eastern DRC. Speaking in Goma, Nangaa says the agreement, which offers Washington greater access to Congo’s critical minerals in exchange for investment and security cooperation, was negotiated by what he describes as an illegitimate government and ignores the reality that key mining areas, including coltan-rich zones in North Kivu, are now controlled by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The DRC presidency dismissed the claims as speculative, saying the deal falls within the president’s constitutional powers, will respect existing contracts, and will be presented to parliament for approval in March. Nangaa says his coalition coordinates on security with Rwanda and Uganda but denies receiving support from Kigali. Rwanda disputes any involvement despite a United Nations report assessing it exercises control over M23, as the UN warns that all sides in the conflict have committed serious rights abuses.