Nigerians will go to the polls on February 25 to elect a new president and members of the National Assembly. This marks the 7th in an unbroken sequence of presidential elections held since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.

Socio-economic Transformation of Africa

The Socio-economic Transformation of Africa research axis whithin Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa Center focuses on African middle-classes, on African cities as a growth factor, on the urbanization of the continent as an element of transformation of African societies as well as on competition for access to land.
Research Fellow, Director of Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa Center
...Research Fellow, Coordinator of the Governing the Urban Transition in Africa research program, Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa Center
...Associate Research Fellow, Sub-Saharan Africa Center / Center for Energy and Climate
...Associate Research Fellow, Sub-Saharan Africa Center and Turkey/Middle East Program
...Associate Research Fellow, Coordinator of the Observatory of Central and Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa Center
...After several decades of reforms, the situation in centralized power sectors has hardly changed. The sub-Saharan power sector remains underdeveloped, and power sectors are experiencing significant financial difficulties that have been further exacerbated first by the effects of the pandemic...
Germany, despite the reluctance of its public opinion, is committed to supporting security in the Sahel, notably through its participation in the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) and recently in Niger, and in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in...
By 2050, about 60% of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa will live in urban areas. The governance of the rapid growth of capital and intermediary cities in Africa is one of the priorities of the international development agenda.
In recent years, Germany’s Africa politics have been characterized by proactive international initiatives and the claim for a "partnership at eye level". However, a look at the power constellations of its cooperation indicates that inequalities are – contrary to Germany’s own claims – rather...
In Kenya, corruption results from a confusion of public and private interests that is specific to the neo-patrimonial logic in place since British colonization. The strong moral and political ethnicity that characterizes the country fuels an ambiguous relationship between the population and...
After more than ten years of hectic debates on international ‘land grabs’, academic interest in collapsed land deals or projects with unexpected results is growing.
The category ‘middle class’ was used increasingly throughout the 2010s to identify social changes occurring in African countries, including Ethiopia. However, the category itself is hard to define and has been employed to describe very diverse socio-economic dynamics.
Since 2011 and the end of the post-election crisis, Côte d’Ivoire has returned to impressive economic growth. The country and its capital are drawing attention from a growing number of investors, and the “Abidjanian middle classes” are widely publicised and sought after.
Governing Africa's Urban Transitions Ifri's Conference
Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa Center is launching a new research program dealing with the major socio-economic and geopolitical challenges of urban dynamics on the continent.
Sustainable Urban Growth in Africa: the Role of Governance, SMEs and Disruptive Technologies Ifri Webinar
In 2030, half of the African population will be living in urban agglomerations. Rapid urban growth has been defined as major challenges, but also a potential opportunity for the continent’s socio-economic development. Creating inclusive, sustainable and resilient cities is one of the 17 United...
Europe Needs an Africa policy – Defining French and German Stances on Africa Webinar, Institut français Bonn, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Büro Bonn
Online Seminar - French-German Workshop for the Future
The Africa policies of France and Germany
As demonstrated by the current negotiations over the new European Africa strategy, 2020 is a milestone for the relationship between the two continents.
China in Africa: From Political Presence to Environmental Footprint Les Jeudis de l'Ifri
A "Les Jeudis de l'Ifri" videoconference around Thierry VIRCOULON, Associate Research Fellow at Ifri's Center for African Studies.
How can Sub-Saharan African countries cope with COVID-19? Les Jeudis de l'Ifri
A "Les jeudis de l'Ifri" videoconférence around Alain ANTIL, Director of Ifri's African Studies Center.
Political and economic reconfigurations under Abiy Ahmed in Ethiopia
Since taking over as head of the Ethiopian government in April 2018, Abiy Ahmed has increased his openness: the lifting of the state of emergency, the release of political prisoners, the announcements of economic openness and privatization of national enterprises. Regarding foreign policy,...
Angola : from Dos Santos to Lourenço, Unexpected Transition, Lasting Transformation?
As part of the Observatoire of Southern Africa and the African Great Lakes, Ifri organizes this conference on Angola in collaboration with the Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy of the...
Migration in East Africa: A Regional Challenge and a Global Issue
The arrivals of refugees from East Africa in Europe have continued to increase since 2015. However, this situation should not gloss over the fact that migration is mainly a regional phenomenon: East Africa, alongside Middle East, hosts currently more refugees than any other regions in the...
Japan has been investing in the continent for longer than China and applies international standards to its infrastructure financing, analysts said. Its pockets may not be as deep, but its support of good governance and democratic principles makes it a tempting development partner for...
In the Central African Republic (CAR), nine out of 10 people do not have internet, and only one in seven has electricity -- that is, when there are no power cuts.
...What is the role of international NGOs regarding the sanctions process?