Environment

A draft decree adopted by the Council of Ministers bans the export of iboga and all its derivatives, regardless of their form. Violations will be subject to penal, forestry, and customs penalties.

The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency places 15 states at high risk of river flooding from September 19 to 25. Vulnerable communities are urged to relocate people, livestock, and property to higher ground.

Four projects in Egypt, Morocco, Namibia, and South Africa, representing $23 billion in investments, have been selected for $20 million in repayable support announced by the African Development Bank.

The OPEC Fund for International Development has approved $150 million to help finance a new dam in Morocco, aimed at enhancing water security, reducing flood risks, and supporting agriculture.

The New Development Bank has approved up to $200 million for the Olifants program. The funding targets pipelines, pumping stations, and treatment facilities to enhance the water supply for Mogalakwena in Limpopo.

The two municipal landfills in Johannesburg that are still fully operational for general waste are nearly saturated. A recent CSIR study estimates that less than one year of capacity remains, while over 2,000 illegal dumping sites have been identified in the metropolis.

Tanzanian teams are monitoring the affected areas on Kilimanjaro. The preliminary assessment reports over 18 km² of vegetation destroyed, with no casualties reported, while the exact cause remains to be determined.

Rwanda has registered 29 projects in its carbon market and reports generating approximately $1.5 million from credit sales, according to figures presented on September 16 by the environmental authority.

The REDD+ project funded by the Green Climate Fund aims to reach approximately 21,000 rural households in 17 Ugandan districts. The funding rewards verified emissions reductions of over eight million tons of CO2 equivalent achieved in 2016 and 2017.

The UNDP urges states and donors to enhance anticipatory measures against El Niño-related risks, as forecasts remain mixed in West and Central Africa.

Charles Anosike, the Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, was elected president of the ACMAD Governing Council on September 10, 2026, in Cotonou. His four-year term comes as African countries strengthen their early warning systems in response to climate risks.

In Zambia, over 1.2 million people are expected to experience acute food insecurity between October 2026 and March 2027. The government has activated its contingency plans as El Niño threatens the upcoming agricultural season.

The Icelandic government plans to submit a bill in February 2027 that would establish a permanent ban on commercial whaling. The legislation would leave Norway and Japan as the last two countries maintaining this practice.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced emergency measures in response to the accumulation of waste in the Nigerian megacity, including new trucks, additional dumping sites, and a reorganization of the collection system.

Copernicus classifies August 2026 as the hottest August ever observed globally, with an average temperature of 16.96 °C and a level 1.65 °C above the pre-industrial reference.

Kenyan authorities say they have contained 85% of the wildfire burning the moorlands of Mount Kenya since 1 September. The government reports over 3,000 hectares affected, while Rhino Ark estimates the burned area at about 8,700 hectares.

Forest and peatland fires in Indonesia emitted 19.7 million tons of CO₂ between 1 and 7 September, the highest level worldwide during this period. The smoke haze continues to disrupt schooling for more than 1.4 million students.