AFCON is back, and it's changing

AFCON is back, and it's changing

Author: BBC World Service December 22, 2025 Duration: 22:59

AFCON is back, and Morocco is hosting the tournament for the first time since 1988. The tournament itself began with big news on a change in calendar. We tell you about it and take you to the heart of the action, exploring the atmosphere, ticketing and visa changes, and the teams to watch.

You will also hear from Mahad Mohamud, an Uber driver deported from Minneapolis in the US to Somalia, who talks about militant threats to his life and the challenge of starting over.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla


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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 922

Focus on Africa
Podcast Episodes
'Historic' day as DR Congo joins East Africa trade bloc [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:29
In a move which has been described as "historic", the Democratic Republic of Congo has officially been admitted to the East African Community (EAC) trade bloc. Seven passengers have died after gunmen attacked a busy trai…
Malawi ramps up polio vaccination after outbreak [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:43
Malawi kicked off a polio vaccination campaign targeting up to three million children under the age of five. To mark the International Day of Forests, we find out about the health of the second largest tropical rainfores…
Is Ethiopia to blame for deaths of MSF staff in Tigray? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:35
Did Ethiopian government forces kill MSF charity workers in the Tigray region last year?Also, the American Ambassador to the United Nations on why African countries cannot remain neutral in the war in Ukraine.Plus, Tanza…
South Africa asked to mediate in Ukraine war - Ramaphosa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:15
President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that South Africa has been approached to play a mediation role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.Nigerian customs officials say they have intercepted 1,390 sacks of donkey meat…
Kenya's 'boda-bodas' taxis are ordered to re-register [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:55
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the authorities to re-register all motorbike taxi operators - locally known as boda-bodas - following public outrage over an attack on a woman in her car in the capital, Nairo…
Ukraine: Why did Eritrea vote against UN resolution? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:30
Eritrea was one of only five countries in the world to vote against a UN resolution deploring Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and supporting sanctions.Kenya's deputy president says it's up to the people of Kenya to make up…
African nationals still trapped in Ukraine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:17
As the fighting continues in Ukraine, thousands continue to pour out of the country. We hear about the situation at the Polish border. A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has temporarily removed control of a huge…
Trial of Kenyan lawyer begins at the ICC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:19
The trial of Paul Gicheru, a Kenyan lawyer accused of bribing prosecution witnesses of the International Criminal Court has started in The Hague. The arrest of Nigerian "super cop" Abba Kyari on drug-trafficking charges…
Former Sudanese ruling council member arrested [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:37
A Sudanese politician who had been a member of the dissolved joint civilian-military government has been arrested.Some Chagossians evicted from the islands 50 years ago returned in a trip organised by the Mauritian gover…
Zimbabwe: teachers suspended for pay strike take legal action [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:17
A teachers' union in Zimbabwe has gone to court to challenge the government's decision to suspend thousands of staff who have not been going to work, citing low pay.The UN is warning that South Sudan could spiral back in…