Today in Africa — Mar 24, 2026: Fuel Shortages & Price Hikes Hit Kenya & Nigeria, Chad Relocates Sudanese Refugees

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.

Middle East Conflict Squeezes Fuel Supply in Kenya, Drives Price Surge in Nigeria

Fuel shortages are emerging in Kenya as the Middle East conflict disrupts global oil supply, with about 20% of the country’s roughly 3,100 fuel outlets already affected, according to the Petroleum Outlets Association of Kenya. The group warns the situation could escalate into a full-blown crisis within weeks if disruptions continue, especially after regulators froze pump prices despite rising global costs. Kenya relies entirely on fuel imports from the Middle East, leaving it exposed as shipments through the Strait of Hormuz slow. Dealers are now warning of possible hoarding ahead of expected price hikes, even as regulators insist the country still has sufficient stock.

In Nigeria, the same global pressures are pushing prices sharply higher. Petrol in Lagos is now selling for more than 1,000 naira ($0.73) per liter after a recent increase, adding strain to households already dealing with high living costs. Although Nigeria is a major oil producer, it depends heavily on imported refined fuel, making it vulnerable to global supply shocks. Residents say the rising prices are hitting daily expenses, with one Lagos driver saying he did not expect costs to climb further, while others say incomes are not keeping up with the surge.

Chad Moves Refugees From Sudan Border as Hospital Strike Death Toll Rises to 70

Chad has begun relocating refugees away from its border with Sudan as the military prepares to deploy following recent cross-border attacks. The initial operation targets about 2,300 people, more than half of them women and children, who are being moved from frontier towns like Tine deeper into the country. The move comes after a drone strike from Sudan killed 17 people in Chad, prompting President Mahamat Idriss Deby to order preparations for possible retaliation. Authorities say the border will soon be secured by the army, even as refugees continue to arrive due to ongoing fighting in Sudan.

Meanwhile, the death toll from a drone strike on Al Deain Teaching Hospital in Sudan’s East Darfur has risen to 70, with 146 people injured, according to UN officials. The hospital, which served more than 2 million people, has been put out of operation. The UN says it cannot yet determine who carried out the attack, though both the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have used drones on civilian sites. Drone strikes have intensified in the conflict, with more than 500 civilians killed this year, mostly in the Kordofan region.

Congo Rebels Accused of Detaining Civilians, Journalists in Shipping Containers

A rebel group in eastern Congo has been holding civilians, including at least two journalists, in metal shipping containers without light or ventilation, according to Reporters Without Borders. The group says Rwanda-backed M23 forces used the containers in Goma as makeshift detention cells, where up to 80 people were crammed inside at a time and allowed out only once a day. Witnesses described extreme conditions, with little food, routine beatings, and suffocating heat during the day, followed by cold at night. Some deaths were reported, and detainees were often held for weeks before being moved elsewhere.

The allegations come as M23 tightens control over areas it seized last year, including Goma, where it has also imposed restrictions on how journalists report on its presence. Eastern Congo has long faced conflict involving more than 100 armed groups, but M23’s recent advance has deepened the crisis. Fighting continues despite a truce brokered by the United States and Qatar, and the ongoing violence has displaced at least 7 million people across the region.

South Africa Reburies Khoi and San Remains Returned From Europe

South Africa has reburied the remains of at least 63 Khoi and San individuals that were taken to Europe for scientific study between 1868 and 1924, as part of a broader effort to return human remains and artifacts removed during colonial rule. The remains were repatriated from the Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow following negotiations that began in 2022, while others had been held in local museums since the 1920s. At the ceremony, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the practice of removing and studying African remains was “rooted in racism” and used to support false ideas of European superiority, adding that they had been treated as “commodities and specimens.” He called the reburial a step toward restoring dignity and urged European countries to do more to acknowledge colonial harms, including considering reparations.

Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Granted Bail Amid Push to Extend Presidential Term

Zimbabwe has released opposition leader Tendai Biti on $500 bail after his arrest over a meeting opposing proposed constitutional changes that could extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule. Biti, a former finance minister and head of the Constitutional Defenders Forum, must report to police twice weekly, surrender his passport, and notify authorities before addressing any public gathering. He was detained alongside a colleague in Mutare on charges of holding a meeting without police notice, in what critics say is part of a growing crackdown on dissent. The proposed amendments would delay elections to 2030, extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, and allow the president to be chosen by Parliament rather than by voters. While Mnangagwa has said he will step down in 2028, his ruling party is pushing the changes, which Cabinet has already approved. Opposition groups and rights organizations say arrests, bans on meetings, and recent violence against critics reflect increasing pressure on those challenging the reforms.

Nigeria Arrests 15 After Assault Videos Spark Outrage at Delta Festival

Nigerian police have arrested 15 people after videos showing women being chased, stripped, and assaulted at a community festival in Delta state sparked national outrage. The clips, filmed during the Alue-Do festival in Ozoro, led to the hashtag #StopRapingWomen trending and renewed calls to address gender-based violence. Police say no formal rape complaints have been filed and rejected claims that the event was a “rape festival,” but described the scenes as “alarming, disgusting, and embarrassing.” Several suspects, including a community leader linked to organizing the event, have been identified from the footage and transferred to the state’s Criminal Investigation Department. Authorities say investigations are ongoing, while witnesses and activists claim women were warned not to go out during parts of the festival and were deliberately targeted if they did. Traditional leaders and the state government say the festival itself does not permit sexual violence, calling the incidents criminal acts by individuals rather than cultural practice. First Lady Oluremi Tinubu condemned the assaults, saying no culture justifies violating women and urging that all offenders be prosecuted.

Apartheid-Era Commander Testifies in Renewed Probe Into Cradock Four Killings

Eugene de Kock, the former apartheid police commander known as “Prime Evil,” testified at a reopened inquiry into the 1985 killing of the Cradock Four, denying direct involvement but describing how police tracked thousands of anti-apartheid activists as targets for elimination. The four activists — Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkonto — were abducted at a roadblock and later found burned in one of the era’s most notorious cases. De Kock told the court that an officer implicated in the killings asked him to help cover up the crime, including interfering with ballistics evidence. The inquiry, launched after pressure from victims’ families, revisits a case where implicated officers were never prosecuted. South Africa has reopened several apartheid-era cases that were previously unpunished, including the deaths of Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Luthuli, Griffiths Mxenge, and Steve Biko, while a separate inquiry ordered by President Cyril Ramaphosa is examining whether past governments blocked justice for these crimes.

Ukraine Eyes Mozambique Gas as War Hits Domestic Energy Supply

Ukraine is exploring plans to import liquefied natural gas from Mozambique to offset major losses in domestic production caused by Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says the proposal was discussed during a meeting with Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo, noting that Ukraine is seeking additional energy supplies while Mozambique could benefit from Ukraine’s security expertise as it deals with an Islamist insurgency. Ukraine has lost about half of its gas output due to the war, with key production sites repeatedly targeted. Mozambique, which is set to relaunch a major LNG project with TotalEnergies, is positioning itself as a significant gas exporter, with a planned annual capacity of 13 million metric tons. Ukraine has been diversifying its energy sources since cutting off Russian gas imports in 2015 and has expanded LNG imports through Europe, including from the U.S. Officials say the country is already building up reserves ahead of the next heating season, aiming to store at least 13 billion cubic meters of gas.

Africa’s Coastal Fuel Hubs See Boom as Ships Reroute Around Cape

Ship-refuelling companies along Africa’s coast are seeing increased demand as vessels divert around the Cape of Good Hope due to ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea and the Middle East. Carriers including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM have rerouted ships away from the Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz, extending voyages but increasing refuelling stops at African ports. Bunkering volumes have risen sharply, with diversions around the Cape up 112% by early March, while suppliers like Monjasa reported higher activity, especially during the first week of the Iran conflict. The shift is driving expansion by new and existing fuel suppliers in hubs such as Ghana, Namibia, and Mauritius, where bunker fuel sales nearly doubled in 2024. However, operators warn of ongoing challenges, including tightening fuel supply as Middle Eastern exports are disrupted, as well as infrastructure limits, congestion, and tax-related constraints in some ports.

Namibia Rejects Starlink Licence Application

Namibia has denied Elon Musk’s Starlink a telecommunications service licence and access to radio spectrum, according to a government gazette notice dated March 23, though no reason was given for the decision. The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia said it could reconsider the application within 90 days, either on its own or following a petition. Starlink, owned by SpaceX, already operates in several African countries but has faced regulatory pushback in others. In Namibia, authorities previously issued a cease-and-desist order in November 2024, accusing the company of operating without a licence, warning consumers against buying its equipment, and confiscating illegal terminals.