Podcast
Focus on Africa
Hosted by BBC World Service · EN
Two essential stories to round off your working day. Explaining the news from Africa. Hosted by Nkechi Ogbonna.
123episodes
Episodes
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Is Ethiopia involved in Sudan war?
May 700:22:59Tap to summarizeFor a while now, Sudan's military government has been accusing Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates of working with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudan war that entered its fourth year in April. Both the UAE and Addis Ababa have refuted that claim. An investigation by the Reuters news agency in January showed the presence of a secret training camp in Ethiopia allegedly used to train thousands of RSF fighters. We speak to a Horn of Africa expert.Also, bicycles are fading away in many parts of urban Nigeria, but in the northeastern rural community of Mishara, they remain a symbol of love and commitment to marriage.Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine and Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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Hantavirus: what you should know
May 600:22:58Tap to summarizeAs medical experts work to contain the spread of hantavirus on board a stranded cruise ship in the Atlantic ocean, we hear from a representative of the World Health Organisation in Cape Verde. What's hantavirus, how does it spread and what happens to those on board the MV Hondius luxury cruise liner? Also, seven years after the enactment of the law promoting inclusion for persons living with disability in Nigeria, advocates say implementation remains weak.Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Rukia Bulle, Bella Twine and Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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What Eswatini risks by standing with Taiwan
May 500:22:59Tap to summarizeTaiwan's President Lai Ching-te has finally visited Eswatini where his arrival had been expected since April. The state visit was cancelled last minute, and Taiwan blames China - saying Beijing applied pressure on African countries not to allow the plane carrying President Ching-te to use their airspace on the way to the Kingdom of Eswatini. We look at the significance of this visit and Taiwan's diplomatic ties to the Southern Africa kingdom.Also, we have a fire chat with Ghanian musician Stonebwoy, whose Accra-famous music festival known as BHIM is going global, headlining at the OVO Wembley Arena in London this August.Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producer: Rukia Bulle, Blessing Aderogba and Mark Wilberforce Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Bella Twine Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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Sudanese journalists win World Press Freedom Prize
May 400:22:58Tap to summarizeAs the world marks World Press Freedom Day, UNESCO has awarded the 2026 Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, recognising their courage in reporting amid threats to their safety and rights. Since Sudan’s war began in 2023, more than 30 journalists have been killed and over 500 violations recorded, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists.At the same time, we explore how memes and AI-generated political images are increasingly shaping global power and narratives around the US–Israel war with Iran, raising new questions about influence, information, and the future of digital diplomacy.Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producer: Rukia Bulle Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producers: Blessing Aderogba and Bella Twine Editors: Priya Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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'Is diaspora written on my forehead?'
May 100:22:59Tap to summarizeFor the longest time, Africa’s migration story has largely been one way: people leaving the continent in search of opportunity. But that story is beginning to shift. Africa’s young diaspora who were born and raised in Europe, the United States and Canada are increasingly choosing to move to countries their parents once left.Focus on Africa podcast host Charles Gitonga spoke to Dr Maryam Abdishakuur who grew up in Denmark and moved back to her native country, Somalia in her twenties, and Danielle Wanjiku Natche, who grew up in the US and moved to Kenya - where her mother is from - in 2019.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Fana Negash and Basma El Atti Technical Producer: Terry Chege Senior Producer: Carolyne Kiambo Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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Uganda sovereignty bill: protection or policing?
Apr 3000:22:59Tap to summarizeUganda’s new bill could jail citizens for up to 20 years for unauthorised foreign funding, citing concerns over foreign influence on national policy. This has raised questions about the future of civil society, independent organisations, and political freedoms in the country. We look at what the Sovereignty Bill could mean for Ugandans if passed into law.Meanwhile, in northern Zimbabwe, a conservationist is working with rural communities to transform how people live alongside lions, finding practical solutions to long-standing human–wildlife conflict. Her approach is now gaining international attention, earning her the 2026 Whitley Award.Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producer: Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: Terry Chege Senior Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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South Africans debate the migrant question
Apr 2900:22:59Tap to summarizeIn South Africa, rising anti-immigration protests are once again putting xenophobia in the spotlight. We hear from two South Africans with opposing views to understand what’s fuelling the anger, from economic pressure to questions of identity and belonging.Then, we turn to sport, where Kenyan athlete Sebastian Sawe is making global headlines. After a record-breaking performance in London, he has become the first runner to break the two-hour marathon barrier in a competitive race. We look at what this achievement means for the future of long-distance running and what it takes to reach such extraordinary levels.Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producer: Rukia Bulle Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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What’s driving the coordinated attacks across Mali?
Apr 2800:22:59Tap to summarizeWe look at what’s behind the coordinated attacks in Mali by the Azawad Liberation Front and JNIM, which are raising fresh questions about how much control the military-led government really has and whether its alliance with Russia’s Africa Corps is making a meaningful difference in tackling insecurity.At the same time, condom prices could rise by up to 30%, a growing concern for African countries that rely on imports and shrinking aid. Experts warn this could affect HIV prevention across the continent.Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producer: Ayuba Iliya and Chiamaka Dike Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producers: Blessing Aderogba and Keikantse Shumba Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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Tanzania’s report on election violence sparks debate
Apr 2700:22:58Tap to summarizeTanzania is under growing scrutiny after a government report revealed there were 518 deaths during the October 2025 elections. The report says 197 of those killed died from gunshot wounds.However, the report doesn’t say who was responsible for the deaths, recommending further investigations. We unpack what it means and what comes next.Plus, in Zimbabwe, we hear how one woman is turning personal pain into purpose by building a support network for families raising children born with cleft lip and palate, helping them access care and challenge stigma.Presenter : Charles Gitonga Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producers: Blessing Aderogba and Keikantse Shumba Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
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Why more men are getting paternity tests
Apr 2400:22:59Tap to summarizeOne testing centre in Nigeria told the Focus on Africa Podcast that the number of paternity tests it conducted rose by 28.8% in 2025 compared to the previous year. Focus on Africa Podcast host Nkechi Ogbonna spoke to Peter Ngumba, a lab technologist in Kenya who, through his work conducting DNA tests, decided to test the paternity of his own two children. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash, Carolyne Kiambo Jotham, Chiamaka Dike, Keikantse Shumba and Basma El Atti Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru Editors: Maryam Abdalla and Priya Sippy
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