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Focus on Africa

Author: BBC World Service

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Three essential stories to round off your working day. Explaining the big topics and news from Africa, the people behind them, plus an African perspective on global stories. Hosted by Audrey Brown. Five days a week, ready by late afternoon, Monday to Friday.

394 Episodes
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Cryptocurrency platorms are very popular in Nigeria, so why have Nigerian authoraties clamped down on cryptocurrency firms? And what's going on between the firm Binance and the Nigerian government? Also Mauritians once enjoyed a healthy economy but the Mauritian rupee has taken a hit. Why is that and what's been the impact? And how the London based play 'For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy' is opening up conversations considered taboo, within black communities.
Senegal has a new president-elect, 44 year old Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He is currently Africa's youngest democratically elected leader. Who is he and what are his plans for Senegal?Paying a ransom in Nigeria is illegal but out of sheer desperation, many family members still give money to hostage takers. A ransom negotiator tells us how it's done.And why some African countries, like Sudan and Kenya are experiencing a heatwave.
Uganda's President 79 year old Yoweri Museveni, has promoted his son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to head the military. His promotion comes amid a major cabinet reshuffle in which five ministers were sacked. Mr Museveni has denied speculation that he is grooming him as his successor. What do Ugandans make of it? Also an analysis of the recently approved Rwandan bill that, Rwanda says, will ensure the safety of asylum seekers from the UKAnd why the opinion about the police across the continent is very low!
Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo is once more throwing his hat into the ring. He's agreed to run in next year's Presidential election. He disputed the election results, back in the 2010 poll and that led to an outbreak of civil war in 2011. Thousands died or were displaced. What are his chances, this time round? Also a recent internet outage that affected West and Central Africa was caused by a break in a submarine cable system. How do cables, deep on the ocean floor, get fixed? And we hear thoughts of Ghanaian Afrobeats star, Kuami Eugene
Women have become constant targets of sexual violence in Sudan's conflict between the country's military and their former allies, a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces. We'll hear testimonies from young women and get reaction. Also, why is Ethiopia running out of medicines and what's been the impact? And the founders of Kugali, who produced the animation series IWAJU, tell us how their collaboration with Disney went!
Outgoing president Macky Sall has refused to apologise for the political uncertainty he created when he tried to delay the country's presidential elections. In this special edition on Senegal, we ask if the Senegalese still trust their president? Do they believe in his credibility as leader? Also, ahead of the country's election on Sunday, how engaged are young people in the electoral process?
Yet another kidnapping in Nigeria's Kaduna State, where gunmen abducted around 100 people including women and children, that's according to local authorities. We hear a very brave and harrowing interview from a young woman who was taken by Boko Haram back in 2013, but had a lucky escape. Also Niger's military junta asks remaining US troops to leave the country. Why were they there in the first place and what would their absence mean for an already unstable region?And how did customers at a bank in Ethiopia, withdraw millions of dollars they didn't actually have in their accounts?
A BBC Africa Eye investigation uncovers how dozens of women from Malawi working in Oman, have suffered abuse. The investigation reveals how a WhatsApp group was used to rescue at least 50 of them. How and why were these women abused?Also, how African countries can use 'soft power' for their benefit.And why people in Botswana took to social media to criticise the 2024 Miss World contest
The Rwandan government says elections will be free and fair. But how democratic will they be if an opposition leader has been banned from standing?At least sixty-two Cameroonian national football players have been suspended for lying about their age. So why does lying about your age matter?And a young innovator in Sierra Leone designs a robot which he says will preach peace to the world.
Kenya's health workers defy a labour court order and go on a nationwide strike. They are protesting the delayed employment of thousands of medical graduates. How Egypt's galloping inflation is adversely affecting students and ordinary citizens.And is hosting the African Games worth the price tag for Ghana which is in economic doldrums?
Congolese nationals who are now refugees in Rwanda have been protesting. Some of them fled the eastern DRC more than twenty years ago because of the ongoing conflict there. Why are they protesting and what are their demands? Also, why did one adult and eight children die after eating turtle meat in Zanzibar?And if you're interested in a career as an Afrobeats dancer, Izzy Odigie shares the secrets of the trade!
A Ugandan IT specialist, who was trafficked to Myanmar, shares his personal testimony with us.  Francis Kamugisha was trafficked to a scam camp in Myanmar but he managed to escape.  We'll hear his compelling story.  Also, why is the main opposition party in South Africa, the Democratic Alliance, calling for international observers ahead of the country's next general election? And good news for Ghana's film industry as the government says, it wants to offer tax incentives to film makers
Almost three hundred school children have been kidnapped in the past few days in Nigeria's Kaduna State. The recent kidnappings surpasses the abduction of almost two hundred and seventy six Chibok girls, by Boko Haram in 2014. Why do children keep getting abducted? What's going on? Also how the ongoing Red Sea crisis is affecting Ramadan celebrations in East Africa.And why are fans of Nigerian Afrobeat star Asake, upset with him?
On International Women's Day, we ask is a lack of safety and easily available childcare affecting working women's progress at work?Could blanket large-scale tree planting projects across Africa be damaging to the environment?And heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua fights ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia. Could a major upset be on the cards?
The US accuses President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other senior officials in Zimbabwe of corruption and human rights abuses. But will these sanctions work?More than 70 children are missing following recent jihadist attacks in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province.And how the migrant who inspired an Oscar nominated film survived his harrowing journey?
Kenya and Haiti have signed a deal to deploy Kenyan police officers to Haiti but what's holding up their deployment?The United Nations Security Council sanctions rebel leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We ask just how effective they are.And scientists unearth the hidden mysteries of a giant, moving star dune in Morocco.
Kenya is now a common transit route for undocumented migrant workers to try and reach the southern tip of the continent, and particularly South Africa, says the UN’s migration agency.The Church of England explains how it will repair the damage caused by their links to the slave trade. And it is the end of Nigeria's favourite TV family - The Johnsons. Director and lead actor Charles Inojie tells us the sitcom portrayed the average African home, with issues that every family could relate to.
Hundreds of thousands of people were killed in Liberia's civil wars and the Truth and Reconcialition Committee proposed war a crimes tribunal but why has it not been established yet?Cameroonians struggle to cope as food and fuel prices continue to rise.And what are the benefits and advantages of women-led health tech companies?
A leading critic of Chad's military leader, Mahamat Déby, has been killed in a shootout with security forces, that's according to officials Yaya Dillo's death comes after the government blamed him for a deadly attack on the country's security agency. He had denied the accusation. Several others were killed following that attack. What's going on?Also, fresh calls for a proper investigation into the killing of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru and a letter to King Charles.And a Cameroonian student who fled Ukraine tells us what life is like for him, two years after the conflict began.
Ghana ‘s parliament unanimously passed a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill that could get some people sent to prison for 10 years. Is the proposed law constitutional and is it really about promoting family values?Concern grows in South Africa over how children access guns.  And what is circular finance, and can it help with environmental issues?
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Comments (12)

Ryan F

loved the Resident Presidents!

Sep 19th
Reply

Joseph Njenga

resident presidents just make my day!

Dec 13th
Reply

Mwenya Makasa

I believe there is no such thing as living with albinism but rather a person with albinism. A need to say it right for the sake of an inclusive society.

Nov 11th
Reply

John Great

NOT ENOUGH coverage of the situation in Nigeria.

Oct 19th
Reply

Victoria Muchiri

Great content. I'd really love to transcribe your podcasts. People who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, non-native speakers, or suffer from auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder may have trouble following a fast conversation. Transcription provides an avenue for them to absorb everything you are putting out. My email is vickies2cents@gmail.com. Thank you.

Aug 9th
Reply

kagimub

I always enjoy listening to the podcast

Jul 7th
Reply

Matured Mind🎙️🎶

Ghana is indeed serious

Mar 19th
Reply

Kasee Wall

let tpllr..k

Mar 16th
Reply

JOHNSON KINUTHIA

This pure Corruption, they should be imprisoned

Jul 23rd
Reply

JOHNSON KINUTHIA

those people should be imprisoned

Jul 23rd
Reply

faith bwire

Si far I believe am aware of what's happening in my continent. So far this is one point

May 3rd
Reply

Alfredo

feels less professional that what we are used to from BBC

Sep 22nd
Reply
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