Bola Ahmed Tinubu was officially sworn in as the newest president of Nigeria, despite pending court challenges from opposition candidates. Tinubu’s first action as president was to cancel the controversial fuel subsidy. The subsidy has long been a drain on government finances, but its removal has caused fuel costs to more than double in the country. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), tweeted an infographic to address public concerns.

South Africa continues to walk the foreign policy tightrope of neutrality in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ramaphosa is positioning South Africa as a potential mediator to a negotiated peace and has a close relationship with Russia as fellow members of BRICS. However, given its close ties to the US and Europe, there are diplomatic and economic obstacles to consider.

• Ghanaian feminist author and former Minister of Education, Ama Ata Aidoo has died at the age of 81. Aidoo published her first play, The Dilemma of a Ghost, in 1965. Her novels, including Our Sister Killjoy and Changes: A Love Story focused on challenges of African women in modernity. They were taught across West African schools for decades.
• Protests escalate in Senegal after the sentencing of opposition politician Ousmane Sonko. Sonko’s charge of “immoral behaviour” would bar him from contesting this year’s elections. Incumbent President Macky Sall is likely seeking a third term. The government has responded to protests by shutting off the internet.
• Namibia’s Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriages performed abroad are recognized in the country. Namibia is the second country after South Africa to do so.

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Image: Cyril Ramaphosa and Vladimir Putin sign Joint Statement on the strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa, 2018. Creative Commons. 26 July 2018. Photo credit: kremlin.ru.

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