Focus on Africa

Alopecia, the medical term for hair loss, affects an estimated 160 million people worldwide. Some forms of the condition disproportionately affect black women, due to a combination of factors including hairstyles that place tension on the hair, as well as genetic and hormonal influences. Now, some dermatologists are also saying they're seeing more cases, particularly among younger people. Meanwhil...

A compliant submitted by ​the Nigerian Press Organisation, which represents newspaper owners, journalists’ unions, ⁠broadcasters and online publishers, has prompted the country's President Bola Tinubu to issue an investigation by the country's competition regulator into major technology companies over alleged anti-competitive practices and unauthorised use of news content. Growing influence of big...

The UN's humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Denis Brown has warned that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's besieged city of El-Obeid is worsening as fighting and a blockade by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces continue. He says repeated drone strikes have hit power stations and water facilities, leaving civilians without essential services. The UN Human Rights Council has also ordered an urge...

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Senate adopted a constitutional revision bill in June, which has raised fierce controversy as it would effectively reset presidential term limits. The legislation paves the way for a public vote on a new constitution. Under this proposal, President Félix Tshisekedi's previous terms in office would be discounted, essentially allowing him to seek a third te...

All but two African teams have been eliminated from the World Cup. Out of the 10 African teams participating when the tournament kicked off in the US, Canada and Mexico, Egypt is at the round of 16, preparing to face Argentina. Morocco has advanced to the quarter-finals having defeated Canada. And it's the rainy season in West Africa, and recent flooding has caused more than 78 deaths in cities in...

Have you heard of solo-maxxing, or "by yourself maxxing"? It's a social media trend in which young people are embracing single life by opting out of dating and choosing to spend more time on their own. Instead, they're prioritising personal wealth, career growth and emotional independence. So, what's driving this trend? Is it a new kind of freedom, or are young people giving up on dating altogethe...

Rights group, Amnesty International, says it documented the use of ethnic slurs during attacks on non-Arab communities, which the organisation says points to ethnic persecution. The report says the crimes were committed by paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces - RSF - during the group's offensive on the city of El Fasher in Sudan's North Darfur region last year. The report shows children were a...

South Africa on June 30 saw protests across different parts of the country. The demonstrators called for undocumented migrants to return to their home countries. While several African countries have repatriated their nationals from the country, many more are believed to still be residing in South Africa. We look at what's next for them and the country. And, in Tanzania, an indigenous tribe called...

As neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo battle the Ebola outbreak, Tanzanian authorities say they're taking no chances. From screening travellers at border crossings to training frontline health workers, officials insist they're ready if the virus crosses into the country. But along the vast Lake Tanganyika shoreline, concerns remain over unofficial border crossings. And, at th...

Tuesday, June 30, is the unofficial deadline set by anti-immigrant protestors for unregistered African nationals to leave South Africa. March and March movement, a group opposed to illegal migration, is expected to stage what they call “a national shutdown” following its demand for all undocumented foreigners to leave the country. Ahead of the nationwide protests, we hear from African nationals at...

June 25 marks a turning point in Kenya’s history. What started in 2024 as youth-led protests against the Finance Bill grew into nationwide demonstrations. Led largely by Gen Z, protesters demanded justice for the fallen, an end to corruption, and real economic change. More than 60 lives were lost in the historic anti-tax protests. In this episode we sit down with BBC reporters Akisa Wandera and Th...

The United Nations has warned that nearly three million children could contract HIV by 2040, with more than half at risk of dying from AIDS-related illnesses if prevention and treatment efforts are not significantly expanded. The agency says the overwhelming majority of these infections are expected to occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where young people remain disproportionately affected by the epidem...

Police in South Africa have assured the safety of migrants and local businesses as civic organisations including the March and March anti-migrant group intensify calls for foreigners to leave. This precedes heightened tensions towards a June 30 deadline declared by the groups for migrants to leave the country. Meanwhile in Kuwait, the fate of domestic workers mainly from some African countries rem...

Niger has set strict conditions for reopening its border with Benin closed since the July 2023 military takeover. Among them are a new defence agreement, greater transparency over foreign military activities near the border, and the creation of a joint intelligence unit. The conditions were outlined during talks in Cotonou, Benin's commercial capital between a Niger delegation led by Maj Gen Moham...

The UK's Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister and Labour leader after weeks of mounting pressure over political missteps, a slowing economy and falling support for the governing party. We examine what his departure could mean for UK-Africa relations and the estimated three million Africans living in Britain. And, nearly 118 million people worldwide are forcibly displaced, and refugees in pa...

She had set herself a deadline: if she reached 30 without finding a partner, she would freeze her eggs. Her name is Amarachi Amusi, a Nigerian influencer and entrepreneur. She is among a growing number of women across Africa turning to the lengthy and costly procedure of egg freezing as a way of preserving their chances of motherhood while they wait to find a life partner. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonn...

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Ebola outbreak continues to challenge communities, there is still reason for hope. Despite fear, violence and mistrust, many patients are surviving and recovering from the disease. In areas where treatment centres have been attacked and health workers threatened, every recovery offers a much-needed boost to families and communities struggling with...

Russia’s security presence in Africa may be entering a new chapter, with the Central African Republic at the heart of the story. Reports suggest Moscow is looking to replace private military operatives,Wagner Group with Africa Corps, a force overseen by Russia’s Defence Ministry. But the handover appears far from straightforward, raising questions about Russia’s influence across the continent, the...

Cape Verde's national football team, Blue Sharks, stunned 2010 champions Spain at their first ever World Cup match. From the stadium in Atlanta, to the streets of the archipelago's capital Praia, we hear what the tournament and the result means for fans. And BBC Africa Eye hears from some of the last surviving soldiers of the Nigerian Civil War, who recall what they went through during the three-y...

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues across the United States, Canada and Mexico, we look at the rise of hate-watching across parts of the continent. The trend was especially visible when Mexico faced South Africa at the opening game last week. Some African fans, especially on social media, openly backed Mexico against Bafana Bafana citing the recent xenophobic attacks and anti-immigration sentime...

You may have heard of the manosphere - but what about the femosphere? It's a growing online community of female influencers encouraging women to give up on gender equality, approach relationships strategically and seek financial benefits from men, often in the name of empowerment. While researchers say there's no evidence it's radicalising followers like the manosphere, there are concerns about it...

Africa's football spirit meets the 2026 World Cup buzz, controversy, and opportunities. The tournament is a landmark moment for African football, coming four years after Morocco became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final at the Qatar edition in 2022. But even before the games begin, the tournament has been shrouded in controversy after the US denied Somali referee Omar Artan ent...

There has been continued violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in recent months as rebel groups and armed forces wrestle for territorial control. DR Congo's North and South Kivu provinces have been the epicentre of the ongoing Ebola outbreak, along with Ituri Province where more than 560 cases of the virus have been reported. Parts of these eastern areas are under the control of rebel g...

At least 360 abductees were rescued by the Nigerian army from an enclave linked to a terrorist group in northeastern Borno State. Most of them being women and children. While the Nigerian Army says the rescue followed weeks of planning and intelligence-led operations that achieved "complete tactical surprise," overwhelming the terrorists and forcing them to abandon their positions and flee into th...

Over 3,000 African fighters are involved with the Russian army as claimed by Ukrainian authorities. Many of them say they have been misled or coerced into fighting by illegal recruitment agencies promising a good job and salary in Russia. We speak to the BBC's Sammy Awami who gained access to a prisoner of war facility in western Ukraine, and spoke to some of the young men trapped there. And we he...