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Today in Africa — July 27, 2026: AfDB Warns Super El Niño Could Cost Africa Up to $20 Billion, South Africa Calls for New Migration Approach

OkayAfrica has scoured the Internet for today’s major news stories, so you don't have to. On July 27, coverage includes: why the African Development Bank says the continent must prepare for worsening droughts, floods, and displacement; SA’s push for African Union leaders to focus on the root causes of migration rather than blaming individual countries.

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Lihle Z. Mtshali Today in Africa & Newsletter Editor
Green and red cars are partially submerged in floodwater on a Nairobi street at night.
The African Development Bank says a powerful El Niño weather event could cost the continent up to $20 billion.

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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AfDB Warns ‘Super’ El Niño Could Cost Africa Up to $20 Billion

A powerful El Niño weather event could slash the GDP of the hardest-hit African countries by 1% to 2%, costing the continent between $10 billion and $20 billion while triggering mass migration, according to the African Development Bank’s top climate expert. The bank warned that severe droughts, floods, and storms could deepen food insecurity, strain public finances, and undermine infrastructure as countries struggle to respond.

What’s at Risk

  • The AfDB estimates Africa will need up to $100 billion this year for climate adaptation if the expected El Niño intensifies.

  • Sudan, South Sudan, DR Congo, Somalia, Mali, Burundi, and Nigeria are among the countries expected to face the most severe impacts.

  • The price of maize, a staple food across much of Africa, is expected to double, while fisheries productivity could fall by 1% to 4%.

  • The bank plans a September seminar to assess El Niño’s impact on its investments and explore additional funding through international climate finance mechanisms.

  • The 2023–2024 El Niño caused severe drought in Southern Africa and flooding in East Africa, leading to crop failures, higher food prices, and record sea-level rises.

South Africa Urges AU to Tackle Migration’s Root Causes, Not Assign Blame

South Africa has called on the African Union to focus upcoming migration talks on the economic, political, and security factors driving migration rather than singling out individual countries amid scrutiny of its immigration policies. International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola says migration should be managed through existing African frameworks that support safe, legal movement while respecting each country’s right to enforce its immigration laws.

Regional Tensions Continue

  • Lamola says South Africa is the continent’s largest destination for both documented and undocumented migrants.

  • He argues that unemployment, conflict, poor governance, and climate change are among the key drivers of migration across Africa.

  • Pretoria says concerns raised by other African governments have focused on vigilante attacks against migrants, not South Africa’s legal immigration enforcement.

  • South Africa says it will support an AU fact-finding mission if it examines migration as a continental issue rather than targeting one country.

  • The comments come as authorities investigate the death of a Nigerian man during an arrest in Cape Town, a case that has heightened diplomatic tensions with Nigeria over the treatment of foreign nationals.

Sudan’s Army Says It Regains Key Highway to Besieged El Obeid

Sudan’s army says it has regained full control of the Al Sadarat highway linking Khartoum and El Obeid after two days of fighting with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), reopening a critical military and supply route. The army says the advance will strengthen efforts to defend the besieged North Kordofan capital, where about 500,000 people remain trapped amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Why It Matters

  • The army says it retook the towns of Um Qurfa and Jarigakh after inflicting heavy losses on RSF fighters.

  • The RSF had controlled much of the 350-kilometer (217-mile) highway since Sudan’s war began in April 2023.

  • Restoring the route could improve humanitarian access and revive trade in livestock and agricultural products from the Kordofan region.

  • Capturing El Obeid would give the RSF control of all of western Sudan, making the city a key strategic target.

  • UN Women recently warned that women and girls in El Obeid face the risk of drone strikes by day and sexual violence at night while trying to collect water.

In Brief: More Stories Today

Ebola Death Toll in DR Congo Rises to 1,405

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in DR Congo has climbed to 3,200, including 1,405 deaths, according to government data released Sunday. The latest figures mark another sharp increase in the country’s ongoing outbreak.

Senegal’s President Launches New Party After Split With Sonko

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has launched a new political party, Kiiraay—Republican Patriots, formalizing his break with former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the ruling Pastef party that brought them to power in 2024. The move follows months of political infighting as Senegal grapples with a debt crisis linked to misreported public finances under the previous government.

At Least 30 Killed in Attack on Northwest Nigeria Village

Gunmen killed at least 30 people in an overnight attack on Naridon village in Nigeria’s Kaduna State, residents said, in the latest violence to hit the country’s northwest. No group claimed responsibility, and authorities had not immediately confirmed the attack as armed bandit groups continue to target communities across the region.

Former Kenyan NFL Player Deported From U.S.

Former Kenyan NFL player Daniel Adongo has been deported from the U.S. after immigration authorities said he overstayed his visa and had multiple arrests and a prison sentence. ICE says Adongo was removed in June following a deportation order, while past court proceedings cited concerns about his mental health.

Morocco Highlights Trade Ambitions With Trump-Named Expressway

Morocco has named its 1,055-kilometer Tiznit-Dakhla Expressway after U.S. President Donald Trump, a move linked to his 2020 recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara. The highway is also central to Morocco’s strategy of becoming a trade and logistics hub connecting Europe, West Africa, and the planned Dakhla Atlantic Port.

Zimbabwe Opens Africa’s First Lithium Sulfate Processing Plant

Zimbabwe has launched Africa’s first lithium sulfate processing plant as it pushes to end exports of unprocessed minerals and expand local manufacturing. The government says the new facility is the first step toward producing battery materials — and eventually lithium batteries — as it seeks to keep more value from its mineral wealth at home.

Uganda Enters Race for Next UN Secretary-General

Uganda has nominated veteran diplomat Olara Otunnu to become the next United Nations secretary-general, making him the seventh candidate to replace António Guterres when his term ends this year. Otunnu joins former Senegalese President Macky Sall as the second African in the race ahead of Security Council straw polls this week.

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