Nigeria’s governance system is oppressive, though it lacks an evocative name like apartheid. The tragic episodes of brutality by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), while dismaying, are not new occurrences.

Cobalt is an essential mineral used for batteries in electric cars, computers, and cell phones. Demand for cobalt is increasing as more electric cars are sold, particularly in Europe.

​On October 28th, Tanzania will choose a president and members of the country’s National Assembly. This year, few observers expect a fair vote, given incumbent President John Magufuli and his government’s weaponization of the law.

Up to now, radical jihadi activity in West Africa has been centered in Mali—with spillover to adjacent parts of Burkina Faso and Niger—and the Lake Chad Basin. The two locales are now increasingly br…

Niger is a key partner of the U.S. in West Africa. The United States provides a range of assistance to Niger, but the country stands out because strategic-level reforms have been taken seriously by both the United States and the partner country. 

This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger from October 17 to October 23, 2020.

Each Friday, I look at what the presidential contenders are saying about foreign policy. This week: where things stand four days before Election Day.

In his new book, Isolationism: A History of America’s Efforts to Shield Itself From the World, CFR Senior Fellow Charles A. Kupchan explores the nation's past to uncover the ideological and political…

Western media is reporting that violence in Lagos—initially connected to protests against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit—is intensifying. President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the nation on October 22, calling for protests to end.

This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger from October 10 to October 16, 2020.