Nigeria
Turkish defence groups go on offensive in Abuja

Palace Intrigues
Alassane Ouattara, Emmanuel Macron, Faure Gnassingbé, Charles Blé Goudé, Blaise Matuidi

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

Ivory CoastOuattara and Macron try to set date for meeting

TogoGnassingbé's quiet London escape

Ivory CoastOpposition leader Charles Blé Goudé prepares own "address to the nation"

CongoFootball world champion Blaise Matuidi nurtures his networks

Nigeria
Ex-president Abacha's assets on agenda for French foreign minister visit

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna will meet with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday. The topics on the agenda include the restitution of assets embezzled by former president Sani Abacha and his family.

Nigeria, South Africa
Lagos and Gauteng rapprochement signals growing power of governors

Two of Africa's richest provinces are once again discussing a partnership. This budding parallel diplomacy reflects the increasingly high profile of state governors abroad.

Palace Intrigues
Félix Tshisekedi, Amadou Ba and Nicolas Sarkozy, Teodoro Obiang Nguema

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

DRC Helene Mercier-Arnault, wife of luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault, pays a cultural visit to Kinshasa

SenegalNicolas Sarkozy phones Amadou Ba

Equatorial GuineaTeodoro Obiang Nguema mourns a death and a murder

Nigeria
Elbit, Thales and Nexter approached to arm Leonardo fighters

The Nigerian Air Force is due to receive its first M-346 light attack jets from Italy's Leonardo next year and negotiations over who will arm the aircraft are already well under way. The Israeli intermediation firm Ebony Enterprises has been commissioned to contact suppliers.

Nigeria
French firm Sofema looks after Nigerian Air Force

Sofema, a French company specialising in reconditioned military equipment, is currently studying a plan to rehabilitate French Alpha Jets for the Nigerian Air Force.

Nigeria
Turkish defence consortium to secure dangerous Abuja-Kaduna road

Asisguard, Havelsan and Nurol Makina have just finalised a deal with the outgoing Nigerian government for the supply of drones, armoured vehicles and electronic systems to secure the Abuja-Kaduna road, which is frequently attacked by armed groups.

Nigeria
Defence giants Leonardo and PolyTech top Nigeria pre-election spending

Defence groups have been making the most of the Buhari administration's splurge on arms ahead of Nigeria's presidential election. Italy's Leonardo has sealed a €1bn deal for its M-346 light attack aircraft, while China's Poly Technologies has also secured a new contract.

Nigeria
Turkish flagships TAI, Havelsan and Baykar angle for more business in Abuja

The Turkish defence industry is upping the pace in Nigeria, where negotiations with the high command of the Nigerian Air Force under Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao are in full flow.