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Today in Africa — July 15, 2026: DR Congo’s Ebola Cases Top 2,000, Canva Gives Malawi’s Poorest $150 Million With No Strings Attached

OkayAfrica has scoured the Internet for today’s major news stories, so you don't have to. On July 15, coverage includes: growing concern as DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak outpaces containment efforts amid conflict and funding shortages; how Canva founders are funding the world’s largest unconditional cash transfer program in a low-income country, with early results showing gains in health, education, and incomes; and more.

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Lihle Z. Mtshali Today in Africa & Newsletter Editor
A worker in protective suit takes samples from a patient seated in a doorway at an Ebola treatment center.
DR Congo’s confirmed Ebola cases have topped 2,000, as health workers continue their strike over unpaid salaries.

Standing intro blurb: 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.

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DR Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Outpaces Response as Cases Surge

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading faster than efforts to contain it, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) has warned, calling for an urgent expansion of treatment, surveillance, and testing. The outbreak has grown to more than 2,000 confirmed cases and over 750 deaths, with health officials saying conflict, funding shortages, and the Bundibugyo strain’s lack of an approved vaccine or treatment are making the crisis harder to control.

Growing Challenges

  • More than 80% of new Ebola cases are coming from unknown chains of transmission, complicating contact tracing.

  • Health workers at Bunia General Hospital joined other frontline staff in striking over unpaid salaries, while workers at another treatment center resumed work after payment promises.

  • The World Health Organization says more than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the outbreak began.

  • Authorities have traced about 67% of known contacts, but many deaths are occurring in communities before patients reach medical care.

  • Clinical trials of two experimental treatments for the Bundibugyo strain have begun in Ituri province.

Canva Founders Back $150 Million Cash Transfer Program in Malawi

Canva founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht are investing $150 million in Malawi through what organizers say is the largest unconditional cash transfer program ever launched in a low-income country. Run with nonprofit GiveDirectly, the initiative sends cash directly to adults with no conditions attached, and early results suggest it has lifted thousands out of extreme poverty while improving health and education.

Early Results

  • Each adult receives about $550 through mobile phone payments, with more than $52.5 million already distributed to over 139,000 people.

  • In one Malawi district, 90% of recipients rose above the extreme poverty line within three months.

  • GiveDirectly reported a 48% drop in child mortality, a 27% reduction in illness, and a 23% increase in school enrollment.

  • Researchers found every $1,000 transferred generated about $2,400 in local economic activity, with no evidence of inflation.

  • A new phase aims to reach 185,000 people by early 2027 while testing whether adding technical support or community grants produces better outcomes than cash alone.

South Africa Investigates Killing of Anti-Illegal Migrant Group Leader

South African police have launched a special investigation into the killing of Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada, the Gauteng leader of the anti-illegal migrant group March and March, who was shot outside his home earlier this month and later died in hospital. The group says the killing was linked to its campaign against undocumented migration, while police have also warned that no individual or organization has the authority to enforce immigration laws or intimidate foreign nationals.

Migration Tensions

  • Police have formed a multidisciplinary team to investigate the shooting, calling it a priority case.

  • March and March says several of its leaders have recently received threats and warnings.

  • Five people were arrested in Limpopo for allegedly posing as immigration officers and forcing a Nigerian national, who was legally in South Africa, to close his business.

  • The South African government says more than 53,000 foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since launching its migration management campaign five weeks ago.

  • More than 1,200 Nigerians have returned home under a voluntary repatriation program, with the latest flight carrying 306 passengers.

In Brief: More Stories Today

Rwanda Expands Sports Diplomacy With Aston Villa Partnership

Rwanda has signed a reported $26 million-a-year sponsorship deal with Premier League club Aston Villa, making Visit Rwanda the club’s principal partner and official coffee provider. The agreement will put Rwanda’s branding on all team shirts while promoting tourism, investment, and the country’s specialty coffee, though human rights groups criticized the partnership as an attempt to improve Rwanda’s international image.

Nigeria Arrests Suspect Over Fake Presidency Agency

Nigerian police have arrested Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the man accused of creating and operating a fake government agency in President Bola Tinubu’s office. He faces charges including forgery and impersonation after authorities said he used forged documents to establish the fictitious Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and seek official recognition.

Six Former Mali Officials Face Trial Over Alleged Coup Plot

Six men linked to former transitional president Bah N’Daw have gone on trial in Mali over an alleged coup plot. The defendants, who include former security chief Colonel Kassoum Goïta and former presidency secretary-general Kalilou Doumbia, deny the charges, while their lawyers say the case is politically motivated.

Sierra Leone Drops Coup Charges Against Former President Koroma

Sierra Leone has dropped treason and other charges against former President Ernest Bai Koroma, citing health grounds. Koroma, who denied involvement in the 2023 attempted coup, is now free to return from Nigeria, where he had been receiving medical treatment under an ECOWAS-brokered agreement.

Morocco Releases Veteran Journalist as Investigation Continues

Moroccan authorities have released veteran journalist and political commentator Ali Lmrabet after questioning him over allegations of defamation and libel. Prosecutors said the investigation will continue following his arrest on arrival at Tangier airport, where authorities cited complaints related to his online commentary.

DR Congo Forms International War Crimes Advisory Council

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has created a new advisory council of Congolese and international legal experts to support efforts to pursue accountability for atrocities in the country’s east. The council includes former International Criminal Court officials and senior war crimes prosecutors as Kinshasa seeks justice and reparations linked to the conflict.

Nigeria Moves Toward Government-Led Humanitarian Response

Nigeria is preparing to take a bigger role in coordinating humanitarian aid, shifting responsibility from international donors and UN agencies to national institutions. Officials say the transition will strengthen the country’s response to conflict, displacement, hunger, flooding, climate shocks, and public health emergencies while maintaining technical support from the UN.

UN Warns Terrorist Threat Is Expanding Across West Africa

The United Nations has warned that terrorist groups are expanding beyond the Sahel into coastal West African states, using drones, cryptocurrencies, and other advanced technology. UN officials urged stronger regional cooperation to address both the growing security threat and its underlying causes, including poverty, weak governance, and climate pressures.

Kenya Court Rejects Rastafarian Cannabis Exemption

Kenya’s High Court has rejected a petition seeking to allow Rastafarians to use cannabis for religious purposes, ruling that the country’s drug laws do not violate religious freedom. The judge called for a national conversation on cannabis policy, while the petitioners said they plan to appeal the decision.

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