Next Africa

South African rescue workers retrieved 78 bodies from a disused gold mine in Stilfontein where hundreds of illegal extractors have been involved in a months-long standoff with the authorities. Civil rights groups said at least 100 people died from starvation after the mine was sealed off by the security forces to deny those underground access to food to force them to the surface.  Bloomberg&r...

'Detty December' is a phrase which refers to the annual pilgrimage of tourists and diasporans to Nigeria and Ghana during the festive period. It's a movement which has attracted global attention this year as thousands, including international celebrities, flocked to the region to soak up the sun and celebrations. 2024's revelry though has been set against a difficult economic backdrop of rising in...

West African leaders gave Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso six months to reconsider a withdrawal from the regional economic bloc in a final attempt to avoid its fracture. But with the military-led, Russia-aligned countries setting up their own bloc - the Alliance of Sahel States - is the future of West Africa more one of disunity than unity? Bloomberg’s West Africa Reporter Katarina Hoije joins...

The swift collapse of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria threatens a key Russian airbase in the country that Moscow has depended on to project influence throughout Africa. On this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s Simon Marks and Katarina Hoije join Jennifer Zabasajja to explain why these bases are so crucial to operations in Africa - and whether the regimes they are supporting have a p...

  Each year, up to 12 million young Africans enter the workforce, but only about three million formal jobs are available. So many Nigerians have left Africa's most populous country in recent years, the Yoruba term "japa" -- or escape -- has become shorthand for young people desperate to put their skills to use. After President Biden’s visit to Angola celebrating infrastructure investment - could t...

2024 has seen elections all across the continent of Africa, but incumbents lost or saw their majorities shrink -- as in Botswana, Mauritius, Senegal and South Africa -- in a sign of growing disillusionment with leaders around the continent.  Political commentator, author and Bloomberg columnist Justice Malala described this year of elections as ‘hard to watch’ . On this episode he joins Jennifer Z...

Resolute Mining CEO Terry Holohan and two other employees have been released from detention in Mali, just days after the gold mining company agreed to pay about $160 million to resolve a tax dispute with the government. On this week’s episode, our West Africa reporter Katarina Höije, and our Africa mining and metals reporter William Clowes join Jennifer Zabasajja with the story Subscribe to the Ne...

Bitcoin notched another record high this week, climbing above $93,000 for the first time, with traders exuberant over President-elect Donald Trump’s rhetorical support for crypto. In Africa governments are looking nervously at the growing numbers of young people trading and investing in the token. Bloomberg reporters Bella Genga in Nairobi and Emele Onu in Lagos join Jennifer Zabasajja to discuss...

What would YOU like to hear about on Bloomberg? Help make shows like ours even better by taking our Bloomberg audience survey . Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States for the second time -- but with an American First agenda, and trade wars on the horizon, what could his presidency mean for US/Africa relatio...

What would YOU like to hear about on Bloomberg? Help make shows like ours even better by taking our Bloomberg audience survey . Gautam Adani, the indian billionaire, is investing billions in East African infrastructure projects, from powerlines and ports to to airports - but in Kenya, his deals have been suspended by a court, as protesters are worried about what the takeovers might mean for jobs. ...

What would YOU like to hear about on Bloomberg? Help make shows like ours even better by taking our Bloomberg audience survey . As Russia’s BRICS summit in Kazan comes to end, the Kremlin was keen to demonstrate that attempts to isolate Putin after the invasion of Ukraine have failed. On this week’s episode, Senior Reporter Henry Meyer, and Government Reporter S’thembile Cele join Jennifer Zabasaj...

The worlds youngest country, South Sudan, depends on its oil revenue to fund the country, but a blocked pipeline in war torn Sudan to it’s north - has stopped the flow oil and the ability of much of the country to function. Simon Marks joins Jennifer Zabasajja to talk through his reporting from the region, and the despair from South Sudanese citizens feeling abandoned when’s the worlds attention i...

Three months after deadly protests on the streets of Kenya, the country is facing more political instability. Deputy president  Rigathi Gachagua faces being removed from office by lawmakers, after being accused of violating the constitution and formenting division in the country. East Africa Bureau chief Helen Nyambura joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain how Kenyans are reacting to this latest cri...

Catastrophic weather events from floods and storms to extreme heat are becoming more common as the climate continues to change, but the impacts are being felt worse among disadvantaged communities. A new report from the World Bank has shown that South Africa's townships are on average 6 to 8 degrees celcius hotter than wealthier suburbs in the same cities. Ntando Thukwana joins Jennifer Zabasajja...

 As his new refinery begins gasoline production in Nigeria, Africa’s richest person, Aliko Dangote spoke exclusively to Bloomberg news. On this week’s podcast, Nduka Orjinmo joins Jennefier Zabasajja to look at who Dangote is, how he built his wealth - and why he thinks his gigantic refinery could help end the country's reliance on fuel subsidies. You can watch the full interview here and read mor...

Coffee prices are continuing to rise as weather events continue to hit supply. In Uganda farmers are receiving as much as 7000 shillings ($1.89) per kilo - but the windfall is also attracting an unprecedented crime wave.   On this episode of the Next Africa podcast, Soft Commodities reporter Mumbi Gitau joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what’s behind the rising prices, and why it’s not all good...

As Bloomberg revealed this week, the Turkish government is in talks with Somalia over a potential rocket launch site in East Africa. So why is Africa attractive to the Space Industry and what’s holding the continent back from making the most of the space sector to boost its economies? Jennifer Zabasajja is joined by Bloomberg reporter Bruce Einhorn, from the Business of Space newsletter , and our...

As the 9th Forum on China and Africa gets underway in Beijing, African leaders could find a partner that's less willing to open the checkbook than before.  Bloomberg's Neil Munshi and Peter Martin join Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what China wants from African investment and how a struggling economy at home means it wants bigger returns on investment - which may end up saddling countries on the c...

Two weeks since the Mpox outbreak was declared a global health emergency, cases have already been seen far beyond Africa. Scientists and public health officials are now asking whether this could have been avoided - and why we need to look again at how we treat tropical disease in Africa. Janice Kew joins Jennifer Zabasajja to give the latest on the response, what’s happening with vaccines and why...

The price of gold has hit another record high, partly driven by demand from central banks that see it as a way of protecting themselves from economic and geopolitical turbulence. Africa's central bankers have been among the buyers, as they see the precious metal as a valuable shield in an uncertain world. Bloomberg’s Ray Ndlovu joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain the renewed interest in gold, and...

A mutated strain of Mpox in Central Africa has been declared a public health emergency of international by the World Health Organisation. About 15,000 cases have been reported so far in the DRC - but at least 6 other African countries have reported cases - and Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have reported their first ever Mpox cases. Bloomberg Healthcare reporter Janice Kew joins Jennifer Zabasa...

The ability to prove your ID for a bank account or for public services may be taken for granted in much of the world - but many countries still lack this basic infrastructure. It’s seen as so important - that it’s part of the UN’s sustainable development goals - but this push for biometric ID systems has also opened the door to corruption. An investigation by Lighthouse Reports in partnership with...

It should be Africa’s powerhouse, with major oil reserves and the continent's largest population. But Nigeria is facing the worse economic crisis in a generation. President Bola Tinubu has responded with radical reforms but, whilst seen by economists as the right thing to do, the measures are for now exacerbating the pain from the economic crisis and, one year into his term, Tinubu faces growing p...

It may have taken an intervention from a Hollywood star - but the Michelin Guide is slowly starting to recognise the rise of African cuisine in the fancy world of fine dining.  Jennifer Zabasajja leaves the Johannesburg studio to visit Akoko - a  West African restaurant hitting the big time in London’s West End, and finds out who has more power: Will Poutler or the Michelin Guide. Plus Bloomberg’s...

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