Today in Africa — September 8, 2025: US Now Wants to Send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Eswatini, Egypt Plans to Turn Mount Sinai Into Mega-Resort, African Leaders Push Climate Investment

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.

US Deportation Saga Sees Migrant Redirected to Eswatini, South Sudan Returns Mexican National

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has designated Eswatini as the new country of removal for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran migrant detained in Virginia, whose case has become a flashpoint in U.S. immigration policy. Garcia, who has no connections to Eswatini, was originally threatened with deportation to Uganda before officials redirected him, despite his family being U.S. citizens. His lawyers argue the administration is pressuring him into a guilty plea for charges of transporting migrants who are living in the U.S. illegally, citing previous offers of deportation to Costa Rica in exchange for a deal. Rights groups say the practice of sending migrants to countries with which they have no ties highlights the risks of Washington’s controversial third-country deportation program.

Meanwhile, South Sudan has returned a Mexican national, Jesus Munõz Gutierrez, who was deported there by the U.S. in July. Juba handed him over to Mexico’s ambassador after receiving assurances he would not face mistreatment or unfair prosecution. Authorities said they remain committed to working with international partners to arrange the safe return of six other foreign nationals who were deported to South Sudan under a third-country deportation agreement with the U.S.

Egypt’s Plan to Turn Mount Sinai Mega-Resort Sparks Outcry Over Heritage and Bedouin Rights

Egypt’s plan to transform Mount Sinai, one of the world’s most sacred sites, into a luxury mega-resort has stirred backlash from religious leaders, conservationists, and the local Bedouin Jebeleya tribe. The Great Transfiguration Project promises hotels, eco-lodges, and new infrastructure around St Catherine’s Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, but critics say the development is destroying the area’s natural and spiritual character. Bedouin families, who long served as guides and caretakers of the site, have seen homes and cemeteries cleared with little compensation.

Greece has been especially vocal, with church leaders denouncing a court ruling that declared St Catherine’s sits on state land, while UNESCO and campaigners warn the project could put the site on the endangered list. Egyptian officials frame the project as essential to boosting tourism and the economy, targeting 30 million visitors by 2028, but opponents argue it risks erasing centuries of cultural and spiritual heritage.

African Leaders Push Climate Investment Vision as U.S. Pulls Back

African leaders meeting in Ethiopia for the continent’s second climate summit say they want to present Africa as a model for green development, even as the U.S. retreats from international climate commitments. Leaders argued that Africa could industrialize without destroying ecosystems by investing in renewable energy, carbon capture, food systems, and critical minerals for clean technologies. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for a new Africa-led climate innovation initiative to deliver 1,000 homegrown solutions by 2030 and said he hopes Ethiopia will host COP32 in 2027.

But leaders also pressed for fairer climate financing, noting that Africa currently receives just 1% of global funds despite being among the most vulnerable to global warming. Kenyan President William Ruto and others warned that broken promises and dwindling international cooperation threaten progress at a time when climate shocks, from floods to droughts, are intensifying. African Union officials stressed that climate justice must address both the effects of warming and structural inequalities in global finance.

Ethiopia Inaugurates Grand Renaissance Dam Amid Regional Tensions

Ethiopia has officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, promising to double the nation’s electricity output and expand exports to neighboring countries. For many Ethiopians, the dam marks the end of years of reliance on kerosene lamps and firewood, offering new hope for development and access to reliable power.

But the project has stirred sharp concerns in Egypt and Sudan, which fear reduced water flows downstream. While Ethiopia insists the dam will benefit the region, experts in Cairo warn that water reserves cannot indefinitely offset shortages, and Sudanese analysts caution that uncoordinated water releases could trigger flooding or drought. Still, Addis Ababa maintains that downstream countries are receiving more water in dry months than before, framing the dam as a “blessing” for the Nile Basin.

Villagers Dig by Hand After Deadly Darfur Landslide

In Sudan’s Darfur region, villagers are digging with their bare hands to recover victims of a massive landslide in Tarseen that may have killed hundreds, aid group Save the Children said. Local leaders report more than 370 bodies have been buried, though figures range from two confirmed deaths by the health ministry to as many as 1,000 claimed by armed groups controlling the area. Aid workers describe “destruction and devastation,” with only one known survivor in the worst-hit village. Reaching the remote site has been grueling — donkeys were used to deliver the first supplies — and the ongoing civil war has made rescue efforts even harder.

Gunmen Kill Eight Security Officials, Kidnap Chinese Workers in Nigeria

Gunmen attacked a convoy of security officials and Chinese workers in Edo state on Friday, September 5, killing eight members of Nigeria’s Security and Civil Defence Corps and injuring four others. The attackers, suspected kidnappers, abducted five Chinese nationals working for BUA Cement — four have since been rescued, but one remains missing. Nigeria continues to face a surge in kidnappings for ransom, with gangs operating not only in the north but increasingly in the south.

Boko Haram Attack Kills Dozens in Nigeria’s Borno State

Boko Haram militants killed more than 60 people, including seven soldiers, in a nighttime raid on Darul Jamal village in Nigeria’s Borno State, residents said. The attack, which began Friday evening, September 5, saw armed fighters storm homes, set buildings ablaze, and go “house to house” killing men while sparing women. Survivors said the village had only recently been resettled after years of displacement, but warnings about militant activity were ignored by the military. Local leaders said at least 70 bodies were recovered, with others still missing in nearby bushland. Governor Babagana Zulum visited the area on Saturday, September 6, as residents mourned the destruction of homes, vehicles, and ongoing reconstruction projects.

ICC Opens First In Absentia Hearing Against Fugitive Warlord Joseph Kony

The International Criminal Court has begun its first-ever in absentia hearing against Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity for leading the Lord’s Resistance Army. Prosecutors are presenting evidence of murder, sexual enslavement, and mass abductions, while Kony remains on the run and is represented by a court-appointed lawyer. Judges will decide whether to confirm charges, but he cannot be tried without being captured. Survivors in Uganda say the proceedings bring some hope of justice after decades of violence that killed thousands and displaced many more, even as Kony has evaded capture despite international efforts and a $5 million U.S. bounty.

Armed Group Linked to Al-Qaida Blocks Fuel Imports to Mali

Al-Qaida-affiliated militants have set fire to fuel trucks in southern Mali’s Sikasso region and declared a blockade on fuel imports, a move experts warn could deepen the country’s economic crisis. The armed group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) announced the ban last week and has since targeted tankers arriving from Cote d'Ivoire, according to local officials. Mali relies heavily on neighboring countries for its fuel, and analysts say the blockade could trigger shortages, deter transporters, and intensify pressure on the military-led government and its Russian allies.

Mozambique Launches $6B Hydropower Project to Transform Energy Access

Mozambique has secured World Bank backing for the $6 billion Mphanda Nkuwa hydroelectric plant, southern Africa’s biggest energy project in 50 years, aiming to double the country’s electricity output and expand power access to all 33 million citizens by 2030. The dam, expected to generate 1,500 megawatts by 2031, will supply domestic needs and export electricity to neighbors like South Africa and Zimbabwe. While the project is seen as a major boost for development and trade, critics warn it could add to Mozambique’s rising debt, already at $17 billion.