Mahamadou Bonkoungou

Central African Republic, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau
Libreville plays go-between with Bissau and Bangui to discuss ex-president's future

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema brought together his Central African and Guinea-Bissau counterparts in the Gabonese capital on 16 October to consider the fate of former president François Bozizé, who is in exile in Guinea-Bissau.

Palace Intrigues
Andry Rajoelina, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Alassane Ouattara

Intrigues big and small : every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

MadagascarA luxury hotel and an artificial island : Rajoelina's Dubai stops

CongoAnatole Collinet Makosso repents to Denis Sassou-Nguesso

Ivory CoastAlassane Ouattara remains loyal to construction magnate Mahamadou Bonkoungou's jets

Burkina Faso
Bonkoungou's Ouagadougou return in balance

After leaving the country in early 2024, Mahamadou Bonkoungou has been making numerous gestures of goodwill toward the Burkinabé authorities. However, his return to favour with Ibrahim Traoré's junta is not yet a given.

Palace Intrigues
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Muhammadu Sanusi II, Nicolas Sarkozy

Intrigues big and small: every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

GabonPresident Oligui Nguema digs Ebomaf's luxury Airbus

NigeriaMedina, stage of confrontation between Emir Sanusi and his predecessor Bayero

AfricaNicolas Sarkozy guest of honour at French law firm Forward

Palace Intrigues
Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Félix Tshisekedi

Intrigues big and small... Every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

CongoJetsetter Sassou off to Paris and then Moscow

GabonMahamadou Bonkoungou, indispensable backer of Oligui Nguema

DRCEmirati ambassador conducts his diplomacy outside Kinshasa

Gabon
Mahamadou Bonkoungou flies high in Libreville

The CEO of construction group Ebomaf is expanding his sphere of influence in Gabon through a sector he is particularly fond of: aviation.

Palace Intrigues
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Alassane Ouattara, Joseph Boakai, Mohamed Bazoum

Intrigues big and small: every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

GabonOligui Nguema due in Abidjan

LiberiaOuattara lays on jet for Boakai

NigerJunta divided over Bazoum's release

Togo
Army overseeing construction of new secret northern base

To strengthen its counter-insurgency operations on the border with Burkina Faso, Togo's army is monitoring the construction of a new military camp. Meanwhile, a contingent of Russian experts has recently arrived in the country to assist the troops.

Palace Intrigues
George Weah, Faure Gnassingbé, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Faustin-Archange Touadéra

Intrigues big and small: every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

LiberiaWeah strands Monrovia mayor at airport

TogoGnassingbé turns deaf ear to exiled opponent François Boko

GabonOligui Nguema finally recovers presidential Gulfstream

CARTouadéra snubs his environment minister

Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast
Saïd Sanogo, Abu Dhabi's oil rep in Abidjan and Ouagadougou

Emirati oil giant ADNOC has tasked BSC International, which is run by Saïd Sanogo, with boosting its sales of refined products in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.

Guinea
Government favours using leased aircraft for Air Guinée relaunch

The Guinean authorities plan to set up a new national airline using leased aircraft. Consideration was given at one point to using aeroplanes owned by private-sector operators but this option was finally set aside.

Burkina Faso
Helicopters and kalachnikovs on Ouagadougou's shopping list

Confronté à une situation militaire tendue sur le terrain face aux groupes armés, l'état-major burkinabè cherche à accélérer l'acquisition d'équipements tant au profit de l'armée que des forces supplétives.

Burkina Faso
Traoré's cabinet greenlights mysterious Tambao buyer

An obscure Turkish firm picked up two prized Burkinabe mining permits on 10 March: the Tambao manganese deposit, which has estimated reserves of 55m tonnes, and the Inata gold permit.

Burkina Faso
Wanted: local investors to save Air Burkina

After the illusory hopes raised by the US firm African Global Development, the Burkinabe authorities are exploring other options to save the continent's oldest airline from going under.