Public Finance & Accountability: A Ghana-based policy analyst urged African governments to shift from “revenue without development” by funding infrastructure, schools, hospitals and industrial parks that create jobs and expand the tax base. Somalia Infrastructure & Federal Tensions: Somalia’s federal public works ministry began road and bridge studies in Hargeisa using World Bank-supported funds, highlighting the widening gap between Mogadishu’s reach and Somaliland’s reality. Nigeria Rights & Security: Rights groups (Intersociety and Ekwenche Institute) alleged worsening ethno-religious violence, abductions and disappearances in Nigeria’s South-East, including claims of state complicity or failure to protect civilians. US Deportations: A Nigerian lawyer said deportees from the US were manacled and shackled on a 30-hour flight, with detainees dropped across multiple African countries, calling for dignified return agreements. Elections & Violence Watch: Ahead of Nigeria’s Osun governorship vote, residents reported fear after politically linked killings; police plan deployments per polling unit. FIFA Leadership Fight: FIFA defended Gianni Infantino, warning of efforts to undermine him outside statutes after the collapse of a $4.2bn World Cup rights plan. Agriculture & Food Security: Experts warned El Niño conditions may worsen fall armyworm threats, accelerating breeding and survival and deepening crop risk. Politics & Party Realignments: In Katsina, opposition stakeholders defected to APC, while ADC rejected an ICPC interim report on the PFIPC probe. Regional Counter-Terrorism: Nigeria and Sahel partners discussed coordinated action against Boko Haram and ISWAP, stressing intelligence sharing and non-kinetic stabilisation.