Africa Daily

More than half of people across Africa are involved in agriculture in one form or another. For a long time it was seen as a more traditional pursuit – a way to get by. But younger people are looking at agriculture as a business opportunity. The African Development Bank says millennials are transforming the sector across the continent. Driven by entrepreneurs sharing their journey on social media –...

In May 2022, Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema submitted a bill to end capital punishment to parliament. Seven months later, he signed legislation that officially abolished the death penalty. On Wednesday he went even further, announcing that 390 inmates who were awaiting execution, would now serve life sentences. Zambia follow in the footsteps of Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Ch...

Last month, Kenya’s Vice President Rigathi Gachagua told local authorities in the central region that they should limit all towns in their area to one bar each. He says the drastic measure is needed to save the youth from alcoholism. But while many people agree the area has a real problem with drinking, not everyone thinks this will help. And bar owners are up in arms about the impact they’re alre...

Journalists in Somalia work in a tough environment. The country has suffered from decades of conflict and political upheaval. Journalists often risk their lives to tell these stories. But women in the media face additional barriers, put in place by people who don’t think they should be working at all. Bilan Media – an all-female journalism operation – is hoping to change all that. They are disrupt...

Sometimes a story catches the imagination of a nation and really gets people talking. That’s certainly the case in Ghana – after a woman took her boss to court last month for reneging on a deal in which he promised to pay her rent and buy her a car if she had a sexual relationship with him. When it all went sour, he took the car back. It’s all got people discussing what the workplace is like for y...

Zimbabwe’s central bank introduced a policy last year to sell gold coins in a bid to stabilise the country’s economy and combat inflation. They were meant to be an alternative to dollars as a way of safeguarding people‘s wealth – even when the local currency was losing its value. But with the top tier coin worth $2,000 and the smallest currently valued at $188 – they’re not something the average Z...

Today’s guest on Africa Daily is a young woman who seemed to have it all. Noella got a job as a reporter with a local TV station in Nairobi – and then, around six years ago, she got a scholarship to study filmmaking in the US. But then she had her first manic episode and woke up in a psychiatric ward in North Carolina. She was told she had unspecified bipolar – but didn’t understand what it meant...

The debate over whether sex work should be decriminalized has been going on for years in South Africa. But the shocking discovery of the bodies of six women in October last year heightened the debate. They were believed to be sex workers – and campaigners said that only by making them legal – allowing them to seek help from the police without fear - would such people be protected. Now, the South A...

Burundi’s economy has been battered: first by years of conflict, then Covid-19. And so the World Bank has stepped in and provided $40 million in aid – with another $150 million still to come. Hundreds of thousands of the poorest households will receive cash – with some targeted at setting up new businesses. So, can Burundi strike a balance between handouts and hand-ups? And can the people receivin...

It’s not easy being Gay, Queer or Transgender in many African countries. In some it’s illegal, in others it’s just socially unacceptable. But a BBC investigation has found how both gangs and the police are using dating apps to target LGBT people in Egypt. It came to light after a series of videos – made by gangs – were shared millions of times, showing young people stripped naked, abused and force...

Africa is home to more than a sixth of the world’s Catholics, and that share is rising. But Africans are significantly under-represented in the Vatican, and other regions such as Latin America currently have far more sway in Rome. As the Pope travels to the DRC and South Sudan this week, many Africans in the Church are hoping he is sincere when he says their voices need to be heard. And despite co...

Lebanon is in the midst of one of the most severe and prolonged economic depressions the world has seen. More than 80% of the population live in poverty and their currency has reached a record low. It’s left many struggling to afford essential goods like food, fuel and medicine. Ethiopians make up the majority of the 250,000 domestic workers there. For many of them, life has become so much worse....

Since the end of last year both old and new naira notes have been in circulation. But from 31st January, the old notes will no longer be accepted as legal tender. President Buhari says the introduction of these new cash notes will help to tackle corruption, counterfeit money and the illicit hoarding of cash. Nigeria has the biggest economy in Africa. It’s also often labelled the ‘cash-king’ of the...

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to disruptions in the supply of gas across Europe. Germany is now looking to Africa, among other regions, for solutions. Last month, the country’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck visited South Africa and Namibia, to sign green hydrogen deals worth millions of dollars. Green hydrogen can best be described as a clean energy source that only emits water...

It’s estimated that Africa needs $3 trillion to transition to green energy – and that it needs to do it fast. Surely that’s impossible? After all, multinational development banks – like the World Bank – which traditionally lead on this type of investment hold just $1.5 trillion dollars of investment potential. But today’s guest on Africa Daily argues that it can be done, saying the continent’s nat...

Watamu is a beautiful beach resort on the Kenyan Coast blessed with white sands, mangroves, and an abundance of wildlife including manta rays and sea turtles. But there’s trouble in paradise. Tourism was decimated by Covid-19. Plastic pollution on the beaches has increased. Fish stocks have plummeted. During lockdown and school closures, young people loitered idly on the beach. So one teacher deci...

We hear a lot in the news about the treacherous journeys people take to escape conflict, violence, poverty and political instability. Thousands have drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean sea from the coasts of Libya and Tunisia. Many fleeing countries on the African continent, travel through several countries to get to the Sahara desert in order to reach the coast. It’s a route which has been...

On Wednesday a small group of people attempted to protest on the streets of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. They said they were dissatisfied with the East African regional force which has been deployed in an attempted to restore peace in the region. The border region in the east of the country has seen decades of violent conflict. In recent years, larger rebel groups such as M23 and...

Dozens of people were killed in a bomb blast at a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo last weekend. In Nigeria, a priest was killed and another was abducted in the last few days. By mid-January, women and children were kidnapped in Burkina Faso. These are just a few of recent incidents where people in various African countries have been targeted. What do they have in common? The Islamic Sta...

After a video of the president of South Sudan wetting himself at an official function was shared widely on social media, six journalists were arrested. The incident occurred in December as Salva Kiir stood for the national anthem - but the journalists were taken for questioning on January 3rd. But while many people assumed it would quickly blow over, the men, who all work for the national broadcas...

“The resolution is there that Lesotho must be given its country back” Lesotho is a country which – seen on the map – is very unusual. It is surrounded like an island on all sides by South Africa – meaning if it imports goods by road they have to be brought in via its bigger neighbour. But Lesotho’s parliament is soon to debate whether the country should demand land back from South Africa. The moti...

Children in Lilongwe and Blantyre haven’t been able to return to school after the Christmas holidays. Schools have been closed to help stop cholera spreading. Cases have surged in recent weeks and 750 people have died since the outbreak started in March. So, can these measures help bring the situation under control? #AfricaDaily

Edwin Chiloba was a rising star in Kenya’s LGBTQ community. The model and fashion designer was also making a name for himself as an activist. But last week his body was found dumped in a metal box on the roadside near Eldoret and investigations into his murder are ongoing. Initially some people feared he may have been killed due to his sexuality, but police say one of the suspects they have arrest...

On the 1st of April last year a massive fire swept through the huge Waheen Market in Hargeisa. It was the beating heart of the city - the capital of the unrecognised Republic of Somaliland - and played a role in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people there and across the region. It burned for more than 24 hours - completely destroying thousands of businesses. So how has the city recovered –...

If you’ve ever been stuck in Nairobi traffic, you’ll know that the emissions from cars and trucks is no joke. According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution contributes to 18,000 deaths per year in Kenya. The government is taking the issue seriously and has set targets to cut emissions by 2030. First on their hit list are older trucks, which are thought to be significantly worse pollute...