Posers and paddling pools: Africa's top shots

Cecilia Macaulay

BBC News

30 August 2025

A selection of the week's best photos from across the African continent and beyond:

Mzukisi Mbane and Mpumelelo Dhlamini on the red carpet in Sun City, South Africa. Mbane, on the left, is wearing an African style outfit with a bold pattern on it, wearing sunglasses and a dark cap. Dhlamini, on the right, has long black hair and is wearing a puffy polka dot top and dark sunglasses - Friday 22 August 2025. — Image caption,
These designers hit the red carpet at Sun City in South Africa with fashionista flair for the annual National Arts And Culture Awards on Friday.

Two people standing wearing elaborate pink fancy dress. They both have on pink wigs. There are other people in fancy dress behind them in Johannesburg, South Africa - Thursday 28 August 2025 — Image caption,
It is all fancy dress at South Africa's Comic Con Africa Championships of Cosplay in Johannesburg on Thursday as competitors gather backstage before the contest starts.

Two girls wearing colourful patterned dresses with a colourful umbrella smile and pose whilst taking a selfie. Their hair is in braids. They are outside and there are some women in dresses in the background as well as trees - Mekelle, Ethiopia. Sunday 24 August 2025. — Image caption,
Young women celebrate the Virgin Mary at the centuries-old Ashenda festival in Ethiopia's northern city of Mekelle on Sunday….

Three girls wearing white and black dresses with their hair in braids pose and smile for the camera. They are outside and there are some palm trees in the background and other women wearing dresses who are participating in the festival in Mekelle, Ethiopia. Sunday 24 August 2025. — Image caption,
They dress up for the events that take place over three days and braid their hair in a special way. Ashenda means "the tall green grass" in the region's language.

A man is reading a black bible under a roof in Nairobi, Kenya - Sunday 24 August 2025. — Image caption,
On the same day over in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, a Rastafarian man takes part in a prayer ceremony.

Motorbikes and bicycles parade with Palestinian flags during a motorcade in solidarity with Gaza, in Nairobi, Kenya - Sunday 24 August 2025. — Image caption,
Bikers roll into Nairobi on Sunday for a parade in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu, wearing a green outfit and maroon hat, reviews ceremonial guards dressed in white trousers, blue jackets and elaborate helmets at Planalto Palace, Brasília, Brazil - Monday 25 August 2025. — Image caption,
There is pomp and ceremony in Brazil the next day as Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu reviews the guard of honour welcoming him to Planalto Palace in Brasília...

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a blue suit, white shirt and maroon tie, and Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu, wearing a green outfit and maroon hat, raise their hands during a signing ceremony at the Planalto Palace in Brasília, Brazil - Monday 25 August 2025. — Image caption,
He and his Brazilian counterpart, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, went on to sign various bilateral agreements.

Men wearing primarily red and green hold up flags with Arabic writing on it in Omdurman, Sudan - Saturday 23 August 2025. — Image caption,
In Sudan's city of Omdurman on Saturday some Muslim faithful participate in a procession ahead of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday...

A man standing knee deep in dirty water with his hand up in the air. There are other workers behind him who are standing in the back who also have their hands in the air. They appear to be under some sort of bridge. Municipal workers react while operating a pump draining a flooded highway overpass in Sudan's capital Khartoum following heavy rain - Wednesday 27 August 2025 — Image caption,
Later in the week in Khartoum, a Sudanese man stands knee-deep in water after heavy rain as workers try to use a pump to drain the flooded road.

Three children are in a paddling pool and one child is outside it. They are outside and there are some dilapidated buildings in the background in Cairo, Egypt - Tuesday 26 August 2025. — Image caption,
In neighbouring Egypt, these children are enjoying their paddling pool in the capital, Cairo, on a hot Tuesday...

A woman, wearing colourful print wraps, carries a massive log on her back through a clearing in Kibumba, DR Congo. Piles of logs are in front of her and behind a truck stacked with wood - Thursday 28 August 2025. — Image caption,
In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday a woman lugs logs in Kibumba.

A smiling man wears a straw hat and holds big green leaves - his clothes and hat are adorned with leaves and yellow flowers during a campaign rally in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Thursday 28 August 2025 — Image caption,
On the same day in Tanzania's main city of Dar es Salaam, it is all smiles for a man attending the launch of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's election campaign.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara stands up through the roof of a sunroof of a black car surrounded by security officers and his supporters as he arrives at the electoral commission in Abidjan - Tuesday 26 August 2025. — Image caption,
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara greets his supporters through the sunroof of his car on Tuesday in Abidjan as he announces his candidacy for October's election.

South Africa's Vainah Ubisi celebrates with Lerato Makua - in white shorts and green tops - at the end of a match in Northampton against Brazil - Sunday 24 August 2025. — Image caption,
And South Africa's Springbok women celebrate after scoring a whopping 11 tries to win 66-6 against Brazil at the Women's Rugby World Cup in the UK on Sunday.

More BBC Africa stories from this week:

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