The Ethiopian Heritage Authority has confirmed to Capital that it has initiated high-level discussions to block the commercial auction of a sacred, richly illustrated ancient manuscript once linked to Emperor Tewodros II. The artifact was scheduled to be auctioned from September 13 to 18, 2026, coinciding with exhibition events in Abu Dhabi.

Known as the “Gondarine Gospel,” the manuscript was listed for sale by “Inlibris,” a rare book and manuscript dealership based in the United Arab Emirates. With a starting guide price of 250,000 Euros (£214,550), the precious holy book has ignited renewed global controversy over the ongoing trade of cultural assets looted during the colonial era.

Prepared between 1730 and 1740, the manuscript is written in Ge’ez on vellum and stands as a magnificent testament to Ethiopian religious art. It contains the complete text of the Gospel of Luke, most of the Gospel of John, and 235 detailed paintings depicting Old and New Testament historical events, miracles, and the resurrection.

During the 1868 Battle of Magdala, British troops raided the mountain fortress of Emperor Tewodros II, plundering numerous sacred books, crosses, and royal treasures from northern Abyssinia.

While Inlibris acknowledges the historical circumstances of how the manuscript was removed, it has defended its right to sell it. According to the auction organizers, the artifact possesses a chain of ownership spanning over a century and a half. Following the 1868 campaign, it came into the possession of Robert Cornelis Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, and subsequently passed through a succession of commercial, institutional, and private collections, including the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Schøyen Collection.

Dr. Alula Pankhurst, a renowned British-Ethiopian historian and grandson of the activist Sylvia Pankhurst, noted that strong moral arguments dictate that looted cultural heritage must not be treated as commercial merchandise. Pankhurst urged Inlibris to cancel the sale and consult with Ethiopian authorities to ensure the artifact returns to its rightful home at the National Museum of Ethiopia.

In response to the mounting backlash, Inlibris suggested it could sell the manuscript back to Ethiopian institutions at a “preferential price” as a “gesture of goodwill.” However, the firm maintained that the transaction must be treated as a standard commercial purchase rather than an acknowledgment of any title defect or formal restitution claim.

Abebaw Ayalew (Prof), Director General of the Ethiopian Heritage Authority, firmly rejected the dealer’s preconditions and condemned the auction process.

The Director General told Capital that a formal letter had been dispatched to the auction organizers demanding an immediate halt to the sales process and the initiation of unconditional repatriation procedures.

The confrontation comes as Ethiopia continues to score major victories in recovering its dispersed heritage. This week alone, 17 ancient spiritual parchment manuscripts that had left the country under various circumstances were successfully returned to Ethiopia.

Abebaw stated that efforts to recover other heritage items will be intensified, emphasizing that many more Ethiopian artifacts are expected to return in the near future. According to the Authority, over the past seven years, more than 67 heritage items that had been illegally smuggled out or taken abroad have been successfully repatriated.

The Government of Djibouti has officially assumed full management of a major Humanitarian Logistics Base previously operated by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The formal handover ceremony marks a pivotal transition, converting a decade-long international humanitarian platform into a permanently nationally owned asset and reinforcing the country’s status as a premier logistics gateway for the Horn of Africa.

Overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the facility is set to empower national authorities to streamline critical food stocks, enhance emergency response coordination, and establish the foundation for a robust national food reserve.

Highlighting the geopolitical and domestic significance of the milestone, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, noted that the takeover directly supports long-term food sovereignty.

He emphasized that amid escalating climate vulnerabilities, El Niño extremes, chronic droughts, and regional population displacements, the platform will significantly bolster national capacities to anticipate crises and safeguard strategic supply chains.

Established in 2016, the logistics hub has served as an indispensable operational anchor for the region. During the severe 2022–2024 Horn of Africa drought and ongoing regional conflicts, the facility acted as a central lifeline, storing and dispatching critical commodities that reached millions of affected individuals.

Spanning a massive 65,000-metric-ton capacity, the site features specialized bulk-grain silos, general warehouses, secure container storage yards, and advanced cargo-handling infrastructure that has historically supported twelve distinct humanitarian organizations operating across Djibouti and Yemen.

To guarantee a seamless operational transition, the WFP will provide six months of intensive technical assistance and specialized training in humanitarian facility management.

The establishment and development of the base were made possible through backing from key international donors, including Canada, the United States, Norway, Finland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, and the Government of Djibouti.

The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) officially launched the initial public offering (IPO) of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals on September 14, 2026, marking a historic milestone in African capital markets.

Valued between $1.6 billion and $2 billion and offering 4.1 billion ordinary shares at an initial price of 525 naira per share, the transaction stands as the largest corporate equity offering in the continent’s history. Held in the commercial hub of Lagos, the official launch event reflected Africa’s industrial momentum, drawing international finance experts and senior government officials.

Aliko Dangote, Group President and CEO emphasized that the massive share offering is designed primarily to democratize wealth creation rather than merely raise capital. Noting that the enterprise has already secured sufficient private financing for its immediate operations, Dangote stressed that opening the equity to the public aims to extend ownership to all citizens.

“The primary objective of this IPO is wealth distribution rather than capital accumulation, as we have already secured adequate financing for our operations,” Dangote said. “We invite the public to participate in this opportunity and share in the prosperity we are building.”

The offering breaks away from traditional models where major industrial assets remained concentrated in the hands of a wealthy few, structuring the issuance to ensure broad public accessibility. To encourage retail investors, the minimum purchase requirement is set at just 10 shares, with investors who hold their shares for 12 months eligible for bonus share allocations. Furthermore, compliance with Sharia principles opens the offering to pension funds and institutional investors across the wider continent beyond Nigeria.

Temi Popoola, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Exchange, explained that modern digital infrastructure allows ordinary citizens to purchase shares seamlessly through banking applications, fintech platforms, POS terminals, and USSD codes without administrative friction.

David Bird, Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, highlighted the robust business model underpinning the facility. The refinery currently supports global energy supplies by exporting ultra-low-sulfur jet fuel to European aviation markets.

Proceeds from the IPO will fund a $14.3 billion expansion project scheduled for completion by 2029, which aims to double the refinery’s processing capacity from 700,000 barrels to 1.4 million barrels per day.

The subscription window remains open through October 13, as the transition of Africa’s largest refinery into public ownership is widely regarded as a transformative step for the continent’s economic trajectory.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has issued an urgent warning that Sudan’s emergency humanitarian relief system could collapse within weeks due to a severe funding deficit, leaving millions of displaced people vulnerable to ongoing conflict, heavy rains, and acute shelter shortages.

“We simply cannot turn our back on the people of Sudan when they need us most amid raging conflict, increased displacement, and the impact of heavy rains,” said Amy Pope, IOM Director General. “The entire humanitarian system could collapse within weeks if we don’t act now. Without new funding, we won’t be able to get help where it’s needed most.”

According to the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, the crisis has left 8.6 million people internally displaced across the country, alongside 4.9 million recorded returnees. Nearly 70 percent of those displaced are currently living with host families or in informal settlements.
Ongoing violence, severe floods, and torrential rains continue to batter makeshift shelters, forcing vulnerable families into repeated cycles of displacement.
At the center of the unfolding crisis is the IOM-managed Common Humanitarian Pipeline, a shared logistics framework that enables the United Nations and more than 100 partner organizations to dispatch emergency relief items efficiently. While the pipeline has reached 2.84 million people since July 2023, its operational capacity has steadily dwindled. More than one million people were assisted through the pipeline in 2024, falling to 804,000 in 2025, with only 330,000 people supported so far in 2026.

Without immediate donor intervention, current stocks of emergency shelter, sanitation supplies, and household relief items are expected to be completely depleted by the end of September 2026. Furthermore, the warehousing and operational infrastructure sustaining the pipeline can only be maintained through December 2026.
IOM officials stress that disrupting the pipeline would severely cripple the broader humanitarian response, noting that rebuilding supply chain networks and coordination structures from scratch would be complex, costly, and time-consuming.

To sustain operations, the agency requires USD 15 million to maintain the pipeline at its 2026 minimum capacity for 12 months, supporting 305,000 people. Restoring assistance to 2025 levels for 570,000 people requires USD 27 million, while a broader scale-up to support up to one million people would demand USD 42 million.