Focus on Africa

Poor resources, fears of crime and gang violence in townships on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa force some parents to send children on long daily commutes to former white-only schools.   Nigeria's president pardons the late ‘Ogoni 9' activists 30 years after their execution. Why is the pardon being rejected? And coming to you soon the game on reclaiming looted African treasures Presenter...

The first group of South African soldiers deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo, arrive back in the country today. South Africa sent around one thousand five hundred troops to the DRC as part of a wider peacekeeping mission. In February, at least fourteen soldiers were killed during heavy clashes with the M23, a group fighting against the national government led by President Felix Tishekedi...

Hospital services in Ghana grind to a halt after a nurses' strike escalates What are the implications of Afreximbank's credit rating being lowered to one notch above junk And will Ecowas ever realise its dream of a borderless region? Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Nyasha Michelle, Patricia Whitehorne and Tom Kavanagh in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Technical Producer: Philip Bull Senio...

A 31-year-old blogger, Albert Ojwang, has died in police custody in Kenya. A post-mortem revealed that he was hit on the head and his death was likely to have been caused by assault. The results of the post-mortem contradict police previous claims which said Albert had "sustained head injuries after hitting his head against a cell wall". His death has sparked widespread outrage in Kenya. We'll fin...

Russia says the paramilitary group Wagner has accomplished its mission and has left Mali, although a Russian presence remains in the West African country, through the Africa Corps. So what did the Wagner Group achieve? Why has a separatist movement on the tiny, remote island of Annobón that is part of Equatorial Guinea, appealed to Argentina for support with its independence claim? And new researc...

In 2023, Uganda voted in some of the world's harshest anti-homosexual legislation meaning that anybody engaging in certain same-sex acts can be sentenced to death. The World Bank decided to ban Uganda from receiving loans because of its legislation. The bank now says it's confident that new "mitigation measures" will allow it to roll out funding in such a way that does not harm or discriminate aga...

Is Trump's latest travel ban part of a US disengagement from Africa? Why are many countries now shifting their views on Western Sahara in favour of Morocco? And how can digital skills be made more available for disabled people in Africa? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Patricia Whitehorne and Tom Kavanagh in London, with Charles Gitonga, Richard Kagoe and Christine Ntayiai in Nair...

Mothers in Lesotho are campaigning against a needle sharing method which exposes drug users to the risks of HIV and other diseases, taking root in the country. What is 'bluetoothing' or 'hotspotting'? Also, the wider impact of the rising Islamist attacks in West Africa And why do people choose Hunger strikes as a form of protest, and are they effective? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Has...

Mali's army says it has repelled attacks by jihadists on two military bases. Why is the Al-Qaeda linked group stepping up attacks? South Africa's continued hunt for an alleged illegal mining kingpin in Lesotho And why is Nigeria the worst place in the world to give birth in? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar and Tom Kavanagh in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos Technical Producer: F...

Microsoft founder, Bill Gates says that most of his fortune will be spent on improving health and education services in Africa over the next 20 years. The 69-year-old said, "by unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity". He also tells us what he makes of online attacks against his philanthropy. Also, we hear about the devasta...

Nigerian officials have warned there's little hope of finding alive around 500 people still missing after flash floods in Niger state. How are survivors coping? Mauritania’s Sidi Ould-Tah elected as the new president of the African Development Bank. What was the voting process like? And we meet one photographer who has turned his lens on insects to tell a bigger story Presenter: Richard Kagoe Prod...

A South African woman, Racquel "Kelly" Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn have been given life sentences after being convicted of trafficking her missing 6-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith. The case has captivated and horrified audiences around the world. It has also highlighted the wider issue of human trafficking in South Africa. An anti-trafficking campaigne...

US embassies globally have halted student visa appointments, as social media vetting expands. How is Africa affected? Why is Zimbabwe's controversial radio tax now being implemented?  And how AI can predict and prevent child malnutrition in Kenya? Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya and Bella Hassan Technical Producer: Chris Kouzaris Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: An...

Russia's 13th International Security Summit in Moscow attracts over forty African leaders. How significant is it and what does it mean for the continent, especially for the Sahel? Also, Boeing seals a deal with the US Department of Justice over the fatal crashes of two 737 Max aircraft that killed hundreds of people. One family who lost their son and daughter-in-law in the 2019 Ethiopian plane cra...

Uganda cuts military ties with Germany following diplomatic rift. Somalia's government moves to control clan militias fighting al-Shabab - after allegations of serious atrocities. And will Starlink's strategy of 'winning big by thinking small' help them cover the African continent? Presenter:  Blessing Aderogba Producers: Bella Hassan, Tom Kavanagh and Yvette Twagiramariya in London. Technical Pro...

The Libyan capital city, Tripoli, has been rocked by clashes between armed rival groups, and pressure is building up on the prime minister to resign as protests erupt in other parts of the country. Can the United Nations mission in Libya (UNSMIL) help to bring stability to the divided country? Smart cities are popping up across Africa, blending tech, data, and infrastructure to create the digital...

As South Africa releases its latest crime statistics. Who are the main victims of violent crime and why does the country have such a reputation? Is there "democratic backsliding" in East Africa? What does this mean? We hear from a human rights activist. And talk to the man behind a lasting tribute to Thomas Sankara's memory. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers:  Bella Hassan, Patricia Whitehorne and...

The US President Donald Trump, confronted South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa with false claims of white genocide and land seizures during a tense White House meeting. It was reminiscent of the US President's ambush of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy earlier this year. At a time when diplomacy means everything, how did the South African President fare and what next for the US/South Afric...

Why is Djibouti reportedly targeting Somalis and Ethiopians in a major anti-immigration crackdown? Can DR Congo's former President Joseph Kabila's immunity from prosecution be lifted by authorities? And what is driving the loss of Africa’s tropical forests? Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Bella Hassan, Yvette Twagiramariya and Blessing Aderogba Technical producer: Chris Kouzaris Senior Produce...

There are concerns that South Sudan will relapse into an all-out civil war. But, why is peace in the world's youngest democracy so fragile? Also, what some young Africans think about the UK's tightening immigration policies. And how a swimming coach in Nigeria is providing inspiration and life lessons to children with disabilities. Presenter: Audrey Brown Technical Producer: Jonny Hall Producers:...

A BBC investigation has found evidence that children are being trafficked into illegal mines and sexually abused across South Africa. Were assets of the Gambia's ex-leader Yahya Jammeh sold for a song? And a landmark ruling in Nigeria finds that the Football Federation's negligence contributed to the death of a footballer Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan, Patricia Whitehorne and Tom...

Burkina Faso's military ruler, 37 year old Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has skilfully built a persona of a pan-Africanist leader, determined to free his nation from what he sees as, 'the clutches of Western imperialism and neo-colonialism'. This message has resonated across Africa and beyond on social media. But what's fact and what's fiction? Why has Ethiopia's government banned the Tigray People's Li...

Mali's military junta has dissolved all political parties in the country. Why are the youth dissenting? Why are Nigerians being trafficked to Ivory Coast? And plans by Ethiopia to allow foreigners and companies to buy property in the country Presenter: Blessing Aderogba Producers: Nyasha Michelle and Tom Kavanagh in London, Richard Kagoe and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga...

Medical professionals in various parts of Ethiopia are on strike. They say they are seeking adjustments in salaries, improved benefits and better working conditions. We hear from Ethiopian doctors. Also, as the movie industry expands in Africa, so do concerns about the safety of actors. And we'll meet 19 year old Makhosazana "Khosi" Dlomo, who is breaking barriers as the first black female competi...

The UN says "a double crisis" is facing the DR Congo, as it suffers flooding and mass displacement caused by ongoing conflict. Why is Sierra Leone’s largest diamond miner laying off more than 1,000 workers? And we visit churches in South Africa where polygamy is allowed. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Richard Kagoe in Nairobi with Nyasha Michelle, Yvette Twagiramariya and Tom Kavanagh in Londo...