Pavel Prigozhin has assumed control of Wagner Group’s mercenary operations in Africa following the death of his father, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the private military company. The younger Prigozhin has rapidly expanded production at a major gold mine in the Central African Republic (CAR), generating an estimated $250 million annually, according to independent researchers. This growth has occurred with the tacit approval of the CAR government, which has maintained close ties to Wagner amid ongoing security challenges.
The Wagner Group, named after the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner, has been active across multiple African countries, where it operates as a paramilitary force aligned with Kremlin interests. Yevgeny Prigozhin, once dubbed “Putin’s Chef” due to his catering business for the Kremlin, used his connections to grow Wagner’s footprint in Africa and beyond. His mercenaries have protected regimes in Mali, controlled oil fields in Libya, and supported the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan in exchange for gold. At its height, Wagner commanded up to 5,000 fighters across six African nations.
In the Central African Republic, roughly the size of Texas, Wagner’s operations have included involvement in military campaigns against rebel groups threatening President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s government. Wagner mercenaries have been integrated into local security forces, providing protection in exchange for control over mineral resources. The CAR government has reportedly worked closely with Pavel Prigozhin to preserve this arrangement, even urging Moscow not to replace Wagner with formal Russian military units.
After Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death in a 2023 plane crash that also killed several top commanders, the Russian government took direct control of Wagner’s operations within Russia by forming the Africa Corps under the Ministry of Defense. However, Pavel Prigozhin swiftly moved to establish his own authority in the CAR, meeting with Wagner’s regional commanders and high-ranking government officials in Bangui. He has maintained the flow of gold exports by arranging official documentation to classify the minerals as state property, facilitating shipments primarily destined for Belarus, a close Russian ally.
Wagner’s presence in the CAR also extends to media and propaganda efforts. One of Pavel Prigozhin’s deputies manages Wagner-funded radio stations that promote anti-Western narratives and portray Russia as a key partner for Africa. These efforts coincide with President Touadéra securing a third term in a December election criticized by international observers as neither free nor fair. The president is often referred to as “President Wagner” by critics due to the group’s pervasive influence.
Under Pavel Prigozhin, Wagner’s activities have diversified and intensified. The group reportedly recruits former Central African rebels known locally as “Black Russians” and has expanded into illicit activities including drug trafficking. Residents in Bangui described operations where masked Wagner fighters, operating alongside local police, enforce control over the tramadol opioid market and suppress independent dealers, sometimes through violent means. Extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, and attacks on unauthorized miners encroaching on Wagner-controlled gold concessions have also been attributed to pro-government militias affiliated with the group.
Security experts note that Wagner has evolved from a specialized military outfit into a hybrid network blending armed operations with criminal elements. Observers suggest that Pavel Prigozhin’s continued control is the result of an implicit understanding with the Kremlin, which seeks to maintain influence in Africa through Wagner without the complications that led to his father’s downfall.
Beyond military and illicit ventures, Wagner has developed commercial enterprises in the region, including the production and marketing of vodka and beer brands, and significant involvement in the local pharmaceutical market.
Pavel Prigozhin’s rise marks the continuation of a family legacy. His father nurtured him to take over the sprawling multimillion-dollar business empire, which spans military, mining, and commercial interests. As he consolidates power in Africa, Pavel is poised to extend Wagner’s footprint amid an increasingly complex interplay of regional conflicts, economic exploitation, and geopolitical competition.