Today in Africa — September 18, 2025: Rwanda Is First African Country to Host Cycling World Championships, Malawi Politicians Warned on Claiming Election Victory, Tunisia to Represent Africa in Volleyball World Championships Round of 16

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.

Rwanda Makes Cycling History as World Championships Begin in Africa

Rwanda will make cycling history this weekend as it hosts the UCI Road World Championships, the first time the event is taking place on African soil since it began in 1921. The competition, running from September 21 to 28 in Kigali, features 13 events across time trials and road races, with elite, U-23, and junior categories. Riders will face punishing courses shaped by Rwanda’s hilly terrain and high altitude, including the men’s road race with over 5,500m of climbing—the second highest in championship history.

The landmark event has stirred excitement among African riders and fans. Mauritius’ Kim Le Court, the first African to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes, called it “bigger than me… about showing that riders from small nations can be part of these historic moments.” Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay, Africa’s top-ranked male rider, acknowledged the tough conditions but said his presence is about inspiring the next generation. Eritrea’s Henok Mulubrhan, Natnael Tesfatsion, and Merhawi Kudus are seen as stronger contenders for top finishes, while South Africa’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio will line up in the women’s elite race looking to upgrade her continental title to the rainbow jersey.

Malawi Electoral Body Warns Against Premature Victory Claims

Malawi’s electoral commission has cautioned political parties not to declare victory before official results are announced, after both President Lazarus Chakwera and former leader Peter Mutharika’s camps claimed they had won Tuesday’s election. Commission chair Annabel Mtalimanja stressed at a press briefing that only the commission is legally mandated to release results and said the tally must be verified to prevent disputes.

Nearly all votes have been counted, but final results have yet to be declared in a high-stakes poll that also included parliamentary and local races. The winner must secure more than 50% of the vote or face a runoff. The election comes amid mounting public frustration over Malawi’s economic crisis, marked by fuel shortages, a near-30% inflation rate, and soaring prices, with staples like frozen chicken costing around $20 in a country where most citizens live on $2 a day or less.

Tunisia Stuns Egypt to Reach Volleyball World Championship Knockouts

Tunisia has made it into the round of 16 of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, which is currently taking place in the Philippines from September 12 to 28, 2025. They will represent Africa in the next round after a 3-0 win against Egypt in their final pool game today, Thursday, September 18. The straight-set victory (25-19, 25-18, 25-22) sealed Tunisia’s top spot in Pool A with a 2-1 record, marking their second consecutive appearance in the knockout stage. The team will next face the runner-up from Pool H, which could be Czechia, Brazil, or Serbia.

The North African derby highlighted Tunisia’s dominance, with Oussama Ben Romdhane and Elyes Karamosli each scoring 14 points and Ali Bongui adding 13 points. Mahdi Ben Tahar’s monster block secured the winning point, lifting Tunisia seven places in the world rankings to number 33, while Egypt slipped to 28. “We knew we needed to win this match to qualify, and I want to thank my teammates, staff, and fans,” Ben Romdhane said after the game.

Togo Arrests Ex-Defense Minister After Call to End Family Rule

Togo’s former defense minister, Marguerite Gnakadé, who is also the sister-in-law of President Faure Gnassingbé, has been arrested after urging the military to help end his decades-long family rule. Security officials say she is being questioned on charges of inciting rebellion and possible links to exiled opposition figures, which could carry a prison term of up to 20 years. Her arrest comes amid deadly protests against Gnassingbé’s extended hold on power under a new constitutional framework that entrenches his position as head of the Council of Ministers. Opposition groups and civil society organizations have condemned the arrest as an abuse of power, while a youth movement has given authorities a 72-hour ultimatum to release her or face nationwide demonstrations.

South Africa Risk World Cup Points Deduction Over Ineligible Player

South Africa could see their 2026 World Cup hopes derailed after FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings for fielding suspended midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 qualifier win against Lesotho in March. Mokoena should have missed the match due to an automatic ban after two yellow cards, but was mistakenly included, leaving Bafana Bafana vulnerable to a points deduction. If FIFA applies its rules, the result will be overturned to a 3-0 loss, cutting South Africa’s lead at the top of Group C and throwing the group wide open with Benin, Nigeria, and Rwanda still in contention. The decision comes just weeks before the final qualifiers, where only the group winners will advance to next year’s finals in North America.

Ebola Outbreak Claims 31 Lives in DRC

The World Health Organization says 48 confirmed and probable Ebola cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasai Province, with 31 deaths since the outbreak was declared earlier this month. More than 900 contacts are being monitored, 400 vaccine doses have been deployed to the epicenter in Bulape, and 16 patients are currently in treatment. WHO has also delivered over 14 tonnes of medical supplies and discharged the first two recovered patients this week.

Egypt Says Stolen Pharaoh’s Bracelet Melted for Gold

Egypt’s Interior Ministry has confirmed that a 3,000-year-old gold bracelet belonging to King Amenemope, which vanished from a museum safe on September 9, was stolen and melted down. The artefact, decorated with lapis lazuli beads, was traced to a museum restoration worker who sold it to a silver trader, with the piece eventually ending up at a Cairo gold smelter. Authorities arrested the suspects and seized proceeds worth about $4,000. The theft comes just weeks before the scheduled opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids, raising concerns over the safeguarding of the country’s antiquities.

At Least 50 Sudanese Migrants Killed in Libya Boat Disaster

A boat carrying Sudanese refugees caught fire and sank off the coast of eastern Libya on Sunday, leaving at least 50 people dead, the U.N.’s migration agency said today, Thursday, September 18. The vessel, which was headed toward Greece, was carrying 75 people when it went down about 60 kilometers from Tobruk, with only 24 survivors rescued. The Libyan Red Crescent has since recovered bodies along the coastline, though it’s unclear if they belong to those on board. The tragedy comes as Libya remains a main transit point for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty, with the IOM reporting more than 1,000 people dead or missing in its waters in the past eight months.

Guinea Closes Referendum Campaign With Opposition Silenced

Campaigning wrapped up in Guinea today, Thursday, September 18, ahead of Sunday’s constitutional referendum, which could allow coup leader Mamadi Doumbouya to run for president despite earlier promises not to. The streets of Conakry were filled with rallies, music, and prayers in support of the draft constitution, while opposition parties remained sidelined after being suspended by the junta. The proposed charter would extend presidential terms to seven years, renewable twice, and create a Senate partly appointed by the president. Rights groups say the campaign has excluded dissenting voices, with media restrictions, arrests of opponents, and calls from exiled leaders to boycott what they describe as a power grab. Doumbouya, who ousted Alpha Condé in 2021, has not declared his candidacy, but he is the central figure of the campaign as 6.7 million Guineans prepare to vote.

Billboard Boom in Cairo Raises Cash but Strains Drivers

Cairo’s skyline is now packed with more than 6,300 billboards — double the number in 2019 — plus hundreds of new flashing digital ads, a surge fueled by Egypt’s rapid road expansion under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The boom has turned outdoor advertising into a key revenue stream, with industry earnings jumping over 50% last year to about $130 million, most of it flowing into the state treasury. But while the ads sell everything from fast food to luxury real estate, many residents complain they strain drivers’ eyes and worsen stress amid a biting economic crisis, prompting Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to call for tighter regulation to protect the city’s “urban fabric.”