Top Insights
The ECOWAS Border Strategy: Lessons for Continental Border Governance
As African regional blocs seek to address the security challenges posed by porous frontiers, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has...
Technology at the Edge: How Surveillance and Biometrics Are Transforming Border Control
African states are turning to cutting-edge surveillance tools and biometric systems to manage the growing complexity of border control. From facial recognition and...
Porous Borders and the Proliferation of Small Arms in Africa
The unchecked flow of small arms and light weapons (SALWs) across Africa’s porous borders remains one of the continent’s most persistent security threats....
Border Security in Fragile States: Balancing Sovereignty and Cooperation
Border security in African fragile states poses a complex challenge: how to uphold territorial sovereignty while fostering regional cooperation to effectively address transnational...
Beyond the Fence: Rethinking Border Security in the Age of Transnational Threats
Across Africa, national borders are increasingly porous, not just to people and goods—but to terror networks, arms traffickers, cybercriminals, and disease vectors. Traditional...
South Africa’s Arms Industry: Lessons for Continental Defence Sustainability
Once the undisputed leader of Africa’s defence manufacturing landscape, South Africa’s arms industry today stands as both a cautionary tale and a beacon...
Offset Policies and Local Content in African Defence Procurement
As African governments spend billions on foreign military hardware, there is growing momentum to ensure these investments yield local economic returns. Offset...
Top 10 Defence Deals in Africa: Who’s Buying What and Why?
From the corridors of international arms expos to closed-door government negotiations, African states are signing increasingly significant defence deals that reflect their shifting...
Mapping Africa’s Defence Industrial Base: Opportunities and Limitations
Amid intensifying security demands, shifting global supply chains, and the strategic quest for autonomy, Africa’s defence industrial base (DIB) is slowly expanding. While...
Private Security Contractors and the Grey Zone of African Conflicts
Across battlefields from Libya to Mozambique, private military and security companies (PMSCs) have become critical—but controversial—players in Africa’s evolving security landscape. Operating in...
