Focus on Africa

New MPs were sworn in as Sierra Leone’s parliament opened following June’s elections, but the main opposition APC party is boycotting government business over alleged fraud. Plus, could Ghana become the latest African country to legalise cannabis? President Nana Akufo-Addo has signed off on a bill allowing certain strains of the plant to be grown. And we look at how the increase in people moving o...

Kenyan protesters defied a police ban and demonstrations turned chaotic. The opposition called the move draconian, and vowed to go back to the streets. Can the police legally effect the ban? After social media hype, there are reports of a surge in Ugandan men taking their children for DNA tests. But does that paint a true picture? We talk to a microbiologist to get to the bottom of it. Plus, ahead...

Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi has kicked off a three-country tour of Africa. His trip to Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe comes as the country is trying to create new economic relationships, in order to mitigate the impact of sanctions imposed on the country by the United States. Plus, we look ahead to the upcoming elections in Gabon. Victory for incumbent Ali Bongo and his family dynasty looks a virtu...

As European governments harden their stance on undocumented migration - we hear what's been happening to hundreds of people found in the Mediterranean by Spanish authorities. And what drives people to make these dangerous journeys. Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have been attacked in the Tunisian city of Sfax, with dozens reportedly wounded. We hear from one of them. And a plan from the African...

We get an update from Somalia. The African Union has begun pulling its troops out of the country and plans to complete the withdrawal by December. Could the move hamper the fight against al-Shabab? Plus, we take a look at the job networking website designed for people who work in the informal sector. And we speak to two African entrepreneurs who are marketing their wares in China.

On World Swahili Day, we take at a look at how far the east African language has travelled and hear from people teaching it from Moscow to Bogotá. Also in the pod: Since the covid 19 pandemic, there’s been growing interest in fruit bats. Our Global Health Correspondent Naomi Grimley has been given special access to a scientific research project in Ghana which aims to monitor them. Also, we give yo...

South Sudan hasn't voted in an election since the country gained independence in 2011, but that could change if President Salva Kiir's pledge to hold general elections in 2024 go to plan. Also on the pod: anger is still simmering in Nanterre, France, after the killing of a 17 year old by the hand of the police sparked days of violent protests. A BBC team speaks to local activists and hears from th...

President Ruto outrages environmentalists after lifting a ban on cutting trees. But what does this mean for Kenya’s commitment to the environment? We ask Tracy Makheti, Community Manager at Greenpeace Africa. From problems to solutions: we chat to Omolara Svensson, a Nigerian woman whose mission is to change stereotypes around farming and get more young people into agriculture. Plus, Ugandan autho...

Senegal’s president Macky Sall has announced he won’t seek a third term in office when the country holds an election in 2024. Speculation around what would have been a controversial candidacy has fuelled unrest in the country. Plus, could Kenya become the latest African country to pass new legislation cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights? We look at the foreign organisations influencing the debate in Af...

Kenya recently launched an online registry where employers can look up names of convicted sexual offenders. But how effective a deterrent is this? We ask Stanley Mutuma, a legal researcher in Kenya. Also in the pod: Psychologist Dr Kirindi Odindo tells us about the added burden of responsibilities many young women feel as first-born girls in their family. And, I speak with the woman who succesfull...

As the mandate for United Nations peacekeeping soldiers to remain in Mali comes to an end after more than a decade, we look at what the force has achieved in the country, and what could happen once the troops have departed. Plus, we examine the impact of IMF-mandated public spending cuts on countries like Kenya, who have to agree to stringent terms in order to receive emergency loans. And we take...

Zimbabweans are once again experiencing triple-digit inflation, ahead of August’s presidential election. We look at the state of the economy, which is once again a huge point of contention ahead of the vote. Plus, as soldiers from Morocco and Israel carry out joint drills for the first time we examine what the two countries are hoping to get out of their new kinship. And after many of us were grip...

We discuss the living legacy of Ghanaian author and champion of women's rights Ama Ata Aidoo, who died recently at the age of 81 with journalist Dr Sharihan Al-Akhras. Also in the pod: we discuss with journalist Mark Lobel the story of a young man who was trafficked to London for an illegal organ donation operation. And Serge Stroobants, from the Institute for Economics and Peace's tells us why 20...

As the Kremlin sends the Wagner boss to Belarus following a dramatic weekend in Russia, what happens to the thousands of Wagner mercenaries serving in Africa? We discuss three possible scenarios with Senior Analyst for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Julia Stanyard Also in the pod: How disposing of plastics without care can end up clogging up drains and causing floods...

We look at how clan affiliations which cross national borders have set the tone for the recent fighting which has engulfed Sudan. Plus, as the US dollar becomes more expensive for many African countries, could some be poised to abandon it? And we look at the exhibition bringing the migration stories of African women to the Venice Biennale.

We focus on Ciyaal Weero, the Mogadishu gangs terrorising residents of Somalia's capital. They emerged in outlying districts of the city in late 2021, and have been using extreme violence to rob and extort people. Plus, we speak to the lawyer who represented the family of a Nigerian man who died whilst being restrained by police in Switzerland in 2018, after all of the officers in question were ac...

Italy's former PM Silvio Berlusconi died on 12th June. Known for his lavish spending on Milan football club and his tumultuous relationship with Italian justice, the late media magnate had also a lesser-known passion: relaxing in Malindi. He was once quoted saying that he just 'could not get enough of the Kenyan coast'. Today, Malindi attracts European tourists, particularly Italians. A former man...

Sierra Leone is experiencing election fever ahead of its fifth election since the end of a brutal civil war in 2002. More than three million voters are expected to choose the next president, parliamentarians and local councillors. And in the pod: A new report into human trafficking states that the number of boys caught up in the system has risen sharply. Why is this? Also: we speak to Bogolo Joy K...

Mali's ruling military junta held a constitutional referendum on Sunday, but turnout was around 27%, with many people refusing to take part. We look at what was on the table, and what the outcome could mean in terms of the return to democracy. Plus, as South Africa takes a step towards making universal healthcare a reality, we speak to the head of the country's National Health Insurance about why...

Nine Egyptian nationals suspected of involvement in the sinking of a boat carrying hundreds of migrants off the Greek coast last week have pleaded not guilty after appearing in court. The men were arrested on suspicion of people smuggling and other offences following the disaster, which saw at least 78 people killed. We talk to someone who has been involved in migrant boat rescue missions in the M...

As African leaders visit Ukraine and Russia to help negotiate peace , we ask what unique perspectives they can bring to succeed where others have failed. Also in the pod: can you really buy your way out of a climate catastrophe? Our Environment Correspondent tells us why buying carbon credits could be insufficient at preventing overshooting our global temperature targets. And, as Belgium refurbish...

Nigerian students to get interest free loans for higher education. Thanks to President Bola Tinubu's new student loan bill. How will it work in practice? Also in the pod: There has been a furious reaction in Egypt to Netflix’s recently released “Queen Cleopatra” miniseries. We look at why many in the country are upset that a black actor was cast in the leading role. And American pop diva Beyonce o...

How Nigeria's decision to drop a decades-long fuel subsidy scheme has impacted petrol prices in neighbouring Benin. Also in the pod: six years since the BBC uncovered a sex for grades scandal, Nigerian lawmakers have passed a bill to fight sexual harassment in universities. And the president of Uganda was a recent target of disinformation. We find out what happened and give some tips as to how you...

The Kenyan government is reconsidering a controversial tax change that widens the tax base to include social media influencers and cryptocurrency holders. It's not the only country proposing drastic changes. Opponents of these changes are alarmed saying that this is coming when the cost of living is very high. Also in the pod: South Sudan is facing the fallout from the conflict in neighbouring Sud...

The European Union offers to help Tunisia with accessing IMF loans, but in exchange it expects the north African country to gatekeep migrants. Also in the pod: With the BRICS Summit coming up soon, why is South Africa finding it so difficult to keep a neutral stance with Russia? We take a deep-dive in the historical relations between Russia and South Africa And... We hear from a Ghanaian writer an...