News
How Africa Can Prepare as Drones Enter Hands of Insurgents
By Karen Allen
Like in the Middle East, drones are a new threat posed by armed groups and violent extremists in Africa.
The proliferation of drone technology across Africa has significantly expanded humanitarian, development, business, and military operations. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial systems, have many positive uses. In the hands of non-state armed groups however, they pose a threat that governments must be prepared for.
The global commercial drone market is forecast to reach US$43 billion by 2024, with Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya expected to be Africa’s biggest users.
Commentary typically focuses on military drones and implications for international humanitarian law, or the use of drones for business and humanitarian purposes.
The impact of other entities using drones – be they companies, hobbyists or insurgents – has attracted little attention.
In exploiting the benefits of transformative technology, African states should be aware of the potential risks and develop strategies to track and trace drone proliferation.
Armed groups either receiving supplies from proxies or using drones as weapons in Iraq and Syria, and more recently in Yemen and Libya, should alarm African governments.
The risk of drones becoming a new form of improvised explosive device as seen in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine was also recently highlighted by General Kenneth McKenzie of the United States Central Command.
Armed groups have recently used drones to locate targets in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Drones already form part of the military’s arsenal in many African countries and are deployed in peacekeeping missions.
Although the adaptation of commercial drones by insurgents into strike platforms in Africa is yet to happen, there’s evidence of their use by armed groups for surveillance and precision targeting.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, insurgents have recently used unmanned aerial systems to locate targets for attacks.
And in May, Mozambique’s Interior Minister Amade Miquidade told a press briefing that insurgents had deployed drones for precision targeting in Cabo Delgado province. This aligns with unverified reports by private security companies in the region that militants used small drones for surveillance.
Analyst Jasmine Opperman told ISS Today that, ‘If we look at the ease with which [insurgents] are getting weapons and mounting attacks on the military, I will never underplay the possibility that they are [using] more technologically advanced capabilities including drones.’
The fact that hobbyist drones are commercially accessible and becoming more affordable heightens the threat and presents a challenge to those seeking to restore peace.
The Middle East experience doesn’t mean drones will be used as weapons in the same way in Africa
Don Rassler of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point has focused on the dynamics of drone acquisition in Iraq and Syria. He told Institute for Security Studies (ISS) researchers that it’s ‘only a matter of time before drones get deployed more actively across Africa.’ His studies show how extremists acquire shop-bought drones in large numbers, transport them to conflict zones and adapt the technology to transform the devices into weapons.
It’s unclear whether Africa-based insurgents would use organisational ties to acquire technological know-how from Islamic State networks. Preliminary research in the Sahel and East Africa suggests that direct links are hard to prove. While more empirical studies are needed, the availability of shop-bought drones across Africa suggests that indigenous innovation is more likely to be observed than direct technology transfer.
The Middle East experience doesn’t necessarily mean that drones may be used in the same way in Africa, says Matt Herbert from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, who has focused on Libya and emerging technologies. ‘Their tactical utility may be limited as a weapon; however, strategically they could be of use for wider intelligence gathering, for collection of footage and propaganda materials and for precision targeting.’
That aligns with information from Somalia that al-Shabaab has deployed drones for surveillance and propaganda purposes. Retired Colonel David Peddle, a former military service member in South Africa and the United Kingdom, believes it’s only ‘a matter of time’ before we start seeing the deployment of ‘clusters’ or ‘swarms’ of drones in Africa, given their accessibility and relatively low cost.
Early warning systems could flag large consignments of drones delivered to areas of conflict
The psychological advantage of threatening to deploy such aerial assets could give insurgents an advantage over their adversaries and expand their spheres of control. This applies both on land and at sea, with eyewitness accounts from Mozambique of drones used offshore during the March Palma attack.
Even if drones are primarily used for surveillance now, they remain a powerful tool. ‘It doesn’t have to be a hijacking or an attack,’ argues ISS maritime Project Leader Timothy Walker, who is investigating the expansion of maritime policing operations in the region. ‘It just has to be an intrusion for it to have potency.’
Increasing drone use in Africa should give policymakers and the humanitarian sector pause for thought. The United Nations’ World Food Programme, for example, deploys drones for disaster response and mapping purposes across Mozambique.
As a first step, mapping the use of drones by violent non-state groups across Africa could help ensure that aid programmes and humanitarian corridors aren’t compromised. This would also enable private or private-public partnerships such as oil and gas refineries, ports and harbours, airports and military bases to develop countermeasures.
While African governments may struggle to control the proliferation of commercial drones, early warning systems could flag large consignments of drones procured and delivered to areas of conflict. A registration scheme similar to that used for cellphones could be considered for shop-bought drones that don’t need a licence.
Internationally, the Global Counterterrorism Forum has developed the Berlin Memorandum under its Initiative to Counter Unmanned Aerial System Threats. It urges states to observe numerous UN Security Council Resolutions that require ‘effective measures to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons and their means of delivery.’ The means of delivery includes drones.
African policymakers should play an active role in shaping future drone policy beyond the technology’s use in assisting agricultural development. Even when used for surveillance rather than attack, drones can provide insurgents with a strategic and operational advantage that could threaten security forces’ ability to protect citizens and stabilise conflict zones.
Karen Allen, Senior Research Adviser, Emerging Threats in Africa, ISS Pretoria
The Nigerian Insurers Association has urged the House Committee on Capital Market and Institutions to respect the constitutional separation of powers as it carries out a probe on over 20 insurance firms.
In a statement on Tuesday night, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NIA, Mrs Bola Odukale, said the decision of NIA and the affected firms to approach the court was to seek clarity on the constitutional limits of the House Committee’s probe.
It would be recalled that the House of Representatives on Monday is investigating no fewer than 25 insurance companies operating in the country for various financial infractions spanning financial reporting, claims settlement, premium remittance, and issuance of policies.
The Chairman, House Sub-Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Kwamoti Laori, during a meeting with the management of the insurance companies at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, said the meeting was convened following the receipt of a petition on infractions by the insurance companies.
In the statement, Odukale said, “The Association wishes to state unequivocally that all actions taken by the NIA and the affected member companies in response to the Committee’s invitations and pronouncements were based entirely on legal advice by its Solicitors. It was on the firm instruction of legal counsel that recourse was made to the courts.
“The objective of approaching the Court is to seek judicial guidance on the legality, propriety, and constitutional limits of the Committee’s intervention in order to safeguard institutional integrity, uphold regulatory independence, and ensure that legislative oversight remains within the bounds of law.
“The Court action seeks to determine whether the current posture of the Committee reflects an exercise of legislative judgment, which, by constitutional design, is the exclusive province of statutory regulators, such as the National Insurance Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigerian Exchange, Financial Reporting Council, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and the National Information Technology Development Agency.
“This raises serious questions about legislative overreach and an erosion of the doctrine of separation of powers, a cornerstone of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.”
Odukale maintained that the NIA was committed to lawful and constructive engagement with all arms of government, provided that such engagement respects the autonomy of statutory regulators and the boundaries established by the Constitution.
“The NIA will continue to provide its full support to all member companies while upholding the principles of legal compliance and sector-wide integrity,” Odukale concluded.
17 of the companies that went to court were represented by their lawyer, Mr Abimbola Kayode, at the meeting with the committee.
Finance ministers and development partners from the Horn of Africa have called for enhanced digital integration to boost trade, drive economic growth and promote regional stability during the 25th Ministerial Meeting of the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI).
Held in Nairobi, on July 14, the meeting was co-chaired by the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Nnenna Nwabufo and Somalia’s Minister of Finance, Bihi Iman Egeh. Discussions underscored the critical role of digital integration in reducing trade barriers, boosting government service delivery and creating employment — particularly for the region’s youth.
“Digital technologies are shaping today’s economy and tomorrow’s industries. By embedding these technologies into our programs, we can not only improve inclusion but also leapfrog outdated development models,” said Nwabufo.
She called for digital integration a “central enabler” in each of the Horn of Africa Initiative’s pillars – trade, infrastructure, resilience, and human capital,
Learning through experience
Drawing from global and regional success stories, speakers highlighted the transformative potential of technology-led development. The ministers pointed to the Philippines as a strong example, where ICT has generated millions of jobs in business process outsourcing. Similarly, Kenya’s fintech innovation—especially the success of M-PESA—was cited as a model for scaling digital financial services across the region.
Participants urged governments to proactively foster digital ecosystems by capitalizing on the demographic dividend, identifying infrastructure upgrades, tighter regulatory reforms, and digital skills trainings as priorities to enable broader participation in the digital economy.
Minister Egeh reiterated the need for more coordinated regional efforts to create the enabling environment required for accelerated digital integration and expansion. He referenced the HoAI Digital Policy Matrix, adopted in 2023 which provides a blueprint on how to address key obstacles to achieving effective digital integration across the region.
Barack Makokha, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury, underscored the importance of regionally-aligned public private partnerships and advocated for blended financing to reduce investment risk and expand digital access in underserved areas.
World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ndiame Diop, called for a comprehensive multi-pronged approach, combining cross-border coordination, large-scale financing, robust policy support, and digital infrastructure investments. He pointed out that such measures could transform digital integration into, “a powerful engine of economic transformation” for the Horn of Africa—ensuring no one is left behind in the digital era.
The meeting concluded with a shared recognition that sustained political will and the determination to implement a multifaceted approach are essential to unlocking the region’s economic potential and driving long-term growth.
The event also welcomed observers from the East African Community, Agence française de développement, and Shelter Afrique, reflecting strong regional and international backing for the HoAI in the development community.
Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS), Nigeria’s capital market infrastructure provider, has launched its Custodian Portal, a user-centric digital solution designed to optimise custodian operations through intuitive, secure and efficient features.
Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CSCS, announced this in a statement on Monday.
The CSCS is a Public Limited Company with a diversified shareholder base, which serves as the Central Securities Depository for the Nigerian Capital Market.
It serves as the Central Depository for Equities, Commercial Papers, Corporate Bonds, Sub-National Bonds, certain Sovereign Bonds like the FGN Sukuk and the FGN Savings Bond, Equity-traded Funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts, Mutual funds and Commodities.
Jalo-Waziri said that the custodian portal offered a streamlined experience for market participants with powerful tools that facilitate comprehensive portfolio and trade management, document tracking, share transfer operations, client symbol search, and real-time access to vital data.
He explained that the portal, designed to operate through a flexible subscription-based model, empowered users to manage their records effortlessly and securely through convenient payment channels such as GTPay and Paystack.
According to him, “Digital transformation remains at the core of our strategy to enhance the efficiency, transparency and accessibility of Nigeria’s capital market services.
“The custodian portal is a significant leap in that direction, offering custodians a centralised platform to manage critical processes in real-time.
“We are excited about the value this innovation brings to our stakeholders, and we will continue to evolve the platform in line with users’ needs and industry trends.”
The CEO also explained that the portal was designed with user experience in mind with feature tools like portfolio viewing and downloads in PDF or Excel format.
He further said that it also featured tracking of stock movements across date ranges, inbox messaging and request tracking, as well as robust user management capabilities including role assignment and status tracking.
Similarly, the Divisional Head, Business Technology and Digital Innovation, CSCS Plc, Tobe Nnadozie, said that the portal aligned with CSCS’s drive to automate the market.
“In addition to the normal features, the platform is a part of an omnichannel platform for custodians, and includes API services.
“It also connects to the market-wide workflow, which CSCS has built to ensure secured communication and approvals across all major stakeholders in the market.
“The platform is well secured with best-of-breed cybersecurity solutions and our SOC,” he said.
The Custodian Portal reinforces CSCS’s commitment to leveraging technology to streamline back-office functions and support a more agile, data-driven capital market ecosystem.
All custodians in the Nigerian capital market have now been successfully on-boarded on the Custodian Portal, marking a significant milestone in CSCS’s ongoing drive to enhance collaboration, standardise operational processes, and promote digital adoption across the market.
Kuda Unveils New Wallet for Multiple Currencies
Telcos Resume SIM Card Sales after 2-Week Halt
NITDA, API Partner Against Harmful Online Content
NCAA Orders Airlines to Enforce $10,000 Currency Declaration Rule
NIA Questions Legality of Reps’ Financial Probe
E-Financial3 days agoUBA’s LEO Becomes Africa’s First Chatbot to Enable Cross-Border Payments
News3 days agoUN Appoints Sa’id, Nigerian to Nuclear Panel
E-Business3 days agoNIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent
Telecom2 days agoMTN Nigeria Rewards 1,500+ Winners with ₦290m in Mega Billion Promo
Telecom3 days agoMTN Urges Nigerian to Regards Telecom Infrastructure as National Assets
General News3 days agoAppeal Court Nullifies Registration of ‘KPMG Professional Services’
E-Financial2 days agoNaira Slides Again, Hits ₦1,532.34/$ Despite CBN’s Dollar Push
Telecom3 days agoBitget Launches $6M Global Crypto Trading Contest with New Competitive Segments