📰 Articles about Bamako
Reports and practical guides on daily life in Bamako.
The AES and leaving ECOWAS: what actually changes for Malians (papers, currency, travel)
Since Mali left ECOWAS on 29 January 2025 and the Confederation of Sahel States was formed, what has changed and what has not for Malians: AES ID and consular cards, AES e-passport, CFA franc kept, children's travel document.
SIM Cards and Mobile Internet in Bamako: Orange, Malitel, Telecel
Where to buy a SIM card in Bamako, which operator to choose among Orange Mali, Malitel, and Telecel Mali, and how much internet plans cost.
Neighbourhood chiefs in Bamako: role, appointment and neighbourhood council (2026 ordinance)
The new statute of villages, fractions and neighbourhoods (ordinance no. 2026-020 of 11 August 2026): how a neighbourhood chief is appointed in Bamako, their duties and incompatibilities, the 11 to 15 member neighbourhood council, compulsory registration after six months and the family booklet.
Power and Water Outages in Bamako: what you need to know
Why Bamako has had recurring power and water outages since 2023, how EDM-SA and SOMAGEP are linked, and how residents manage day to day.
Copyright in Mali: what the 2026 ordinance changes for artists, bars and shops
Ordinance no. 2026-015 of 10 April 2026 replaces the 2017 law on literary and artistic property: protection for 70 years after death, machine-generated works excluded, 5% private copy levy, music fees for Bamako bars, restaurants and buses, infringement punishable by 5 years in prison.
The Mali Empire: Sundiata Keita, the Manden Charter and Mansa Musa
The Mali Empire, founded in the 13th century by Sundiata Keita after the Battle of Kirina: the Manden Charter, its peak under Mansa Musa and his 1324 pilgrimage, Timbuktu and Djenné, its decline against the Songhai and the question of its capital.
The Niger River in Bamako: the Djoliba, its rapids, dams and protection
The Niger, or Djoliba, Africa's third-longest river, runs through Bamako: its course from Guinea to the inner delta, the Sotuba and Kénié rapids, the Sankarani and Sélingué dam, the Office du Niger, the Niger River Basin Agency and the 2026–2035 National Water Policy.
History of Bamako: from the Niaré family to the District, from 600 people to over 4 million
The history of Bamako: founded by the Niaré family according to tradition, a village of 600 people in 1883, capital of Upper Senegal-Niger then French Sudan, the railway, Koulouba, independence in 1960, the District in 1977 and the 2023 reform.
Bamako's bridges: crossing the Niger, from Martyrs Bridge to the third bridge
Bamako's three road bridges over the Niger: Martyrs Bridge (1957), King Fahd Bridge (early 1990s) and the Sino-Malian Friendship Bridge at Sotuba (2011), with their history and the neighbourhoods they link.
Population of Bamako: 4,170,005 residents in 2023, by arrondissement and neighbourhood
How many people live in Bamako? 4,170,005 in 2023 according to INSTAT, 18% of Mali: population of the seven arrondissements, fifteen most populous neighbourhoods, growth since 1976 and population make-up.
Sotrama: the guide to public transport in Bamako
How to get around Bamako by Sotrama: how the green minibuses work, fixed distance-based fares, and alternatives (taxi, moto).