Focus on Africa

Focus on Africa

Author: BBC World Service Language: English Episodes: 922
Each weekday, as the afternoon draws to a close, Focus on Africa provides a thoughtful and necessary pause to understand the continent's dynamic pulse. Produced by the BBC World Service, this daily podcast goes beyond headlines, unpacking two essential stories with depth and context. The reporting doesn't just explain the major events shaping nations and communities; it deliberately highlights the individuals living through these changes, ensuring the human dimension of every story is heard. Furthermore, the program offers a vital African perspective on worldwide events, examining how global developments resonate locally. Under the steady guidance of host Nkechi Ogbonna, listeners are offered clarity and insight, making complex issues accessible. This reliable briefing is crafted to fit into your routine, arriving before the evening with the authority and nuance you expect. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with a nuanced portrait of a continent, its people, and its place in the world, all delivered with journalistic rigor five days a week.
Episodes
Steve Biko inquest reopens in South Africa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:46
South Africa is to reopen an inquest into the death of anti-apartheid figure Steve Biko, who died in police custody. It will officially be registered in court on the anniversary of Biko's death, the 12th of September, al…
Africa's climate summit: what viable solutions? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:11
Will the second Africa climate summit produce tangible solutions to fight for climate justice?Police abuse is widespread in Kenya a new study finds. Rights groups warn the findings expose systemic failures that have left…
DR Congo declares new Ebola outbreak [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:26
A new Ebola outbreak declared in the DR Congo. An emergency response has been launched Over 10 opposition parties form coalition ahead of Ethiopia's next pollsAnd we experience a ride on one of Tanzania's locally manufac…
Somali fighters in Kenya spark fears [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:14
Why are fighters from Somalia's Jubaland region crossing the border into Kenya. Their presence is - causing fear and uncertainty Burkina Faso's unelected transitional parliament bans homosexual acts Plus how experts in A…
Barrier built around Sudan’s el-Fasher city [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:43
An extensive earthen wall is being built around the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher. Researchers from Yale University say it is intended to trap people inside.Why is there a rapidly growing demand for solar panels in…
South Africa building fire: What happened to survivors? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:07
Two years on from the devastating fire at an abandoned building in Johannesburg that was occupied by squatters, how much has changed? We revisit the scene of one of South Africa's worst tragedies, in which more than 70 p…
Why has Nigeria banned export of shea nuts? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:46
Nigeria has banned for six months exports of shea nuts used for beauty products to help boost the local economyMore about Malawi's health boat that provides a lifeline for locals on a remote islandAnd we find out why Afr…
Mauritania accused of widespread abuses against migrants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:25
A new Human Rights Watch report says the EU's and Spain’s outsourcing of migration control to Mauritania has worsened abuses against asylum seekers and migrants heading for Europe, but the Mauritanian authorities reject…
Why has Botswana declared a national health emergency? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:04
Botswana's president Duma Boko, has declared a public health emergency as the country faces a shortage of essential medicines and medical equipment.Africa's defence chiefs discuss collective strategies and joint response…
Kenya's starvation cult: New bodies found [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:02
There are fears that the mass starvation cult in Kenya is still active after the discovery of new bodies in fresh graves near the site of the Shakahola forest massacre. So far, eleven people have been arrested in connect…