Focus on Africa

4.6 (53)
NEWS
UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

The biggest African news stories, ad-free

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Three essential stories to round off your working day. Explaining the big topics and news from Africa, the people behind them, plus an African perspective on global stories. Hosted by Audrey Brown. Five days a week, ready by late afternoon, Monday to Friday.

14 HRS AGO

Who is Trump's envoy to Africa?

Who is Massad Boulos the man steering the US and the DR Congo towards a mineral deal? What's Uganda's role in the DR Congo crisis? And are African youth more resilient than their western peers? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Frenny Jowi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi, Blessing Aderogba in Lagos with Tom Kavanagh and Amie Leibowitz in London. Technical Producer: Philip Bull Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

28 min
3D AGO

How will new US tariffs affect Lesotho?

We take a closer look at the impact of the newly imposed US tariffs and hear from Lesotho - at 50% it is one of the hardest hit countries. Does the small landlocked country have a backup plan for its industries? Algeria says it shot down a military drone near the border with Mali, while Mali says one of its unmanned aircraft crashed. The incident comes amid escalating tensions between Algeria and its southern neighbour. So why have the two countries grown apart? And why are so few wildlife safaris owned and run by black people on the continent? We hear from one Ugandan man who went from being a tour guide, to setting up his own successful safari business. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Amie Liebowitz and Yvette Twagiramariya Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Technical Producer: Pat Sissons Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

32 min
4D AGO

Will Trump's tariffs hurt Africa?

Are benefits from the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) dead in the water after steep US tariffs on Africa are announced? Senegal's parliament approves revisions to a controversial amnesty law And raising awareness of autism in Somali culture Presenter : Audrey Brown Producers: Daniel Dadzie, Bella Hassan, Ash Mohamed and Yvette Twagiramariya Technical Producer: Chris Kouzaris Senior Producer : Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

28 min
5D AGO

A conversation with AfDB president, Akinwumi Adesina

The president of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, will soon be stepping down from the role after serving the maximum two terms. In an interview with podcast host Audrey Brown, he reflects on the achievements and challenges of the past 10 years in office. A new study reveals the pitfalls and barriers limiting women entrepreneurs from growing their businesses online - so how can these issues be addressed? And some of Britain's prestigious boarding schools are setting up campuses in Nigeria. Who will benefit? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Tom Kavanagh and Amie Liebowitz here in London. Frenny Jowie in Nairobi Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Technical Producer: Jonny Hall Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

35 min
6D AGO

Somalia offers US control of port

Somalia offers the US full control over the airbase and port of Berbera in Somaliland The juntas in West Africa impose tariffs on imported goods from Ecowas countries - what effect will this have. Can music cheer up Sierra Leone - reportedly one of the most unhappy places on the globe? Rapper Drizilik thinks so. Presenter: Wahiga Mwaura Producers: Bella Hassan, Daniel Dadzie and Yvette Twagiramariya Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

25 min
MAR 31

Stranded: Exposing the UK’s immigration scammers

A BBC investigation has found the UK visa system is being undermined by scammers who are swindling migrants out of thousands of pounds, by promising them jobs in Britain which often do not exist. We hear more from the BBC Africa Eye reporter. Why is Kenya risking the wrath of Serbia, considered to be an ally, by recognising Kosovo and its claim to independence from Serbia? And why is Ghana's Chief Justice facing renewed efforts to remove her from office? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Amie Liebowitz and Nyasha Michelle in London. Daniel Dadzie in Accra, and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi Technical Producer: Gabriel O'Regan Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

28 min
MAR 28

Is South Sudan edging back to civil war?

The UN warns that tensions and use of forbidden weapons are pushing South Sudan to the brink of another civil war Why is the army in the DR Congo unable to defend its citizens and territory? As Uganda's high court rules that names of landmarks and roads in the capital should be 'decolonised'- one lawyer begs to disagree Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Sunita Nahar, Patricia Whitehorne and Bella Hassan Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

36 min
MAR 27

Sudan's army retake Khartoum

Sudan's army has chased out the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces from the capital city, Khartoum - but how significant is this development, and could it signal a major breakthough in the two year war? We hear from Mohanad Hashim, who is from the capital and has been following the war since it began. He has just returned from a trip there. Why has Burkina Faso’s military rulers disbanded the country’s main journalists’ association and detained its leaders? And could Africa lead the way in pioneering plant-based vaccines? We hear from a leading immunologist on how she and her team are developing plant-based immunisation technology. Presenter: Audrey Brown Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer Producers: Stefania Okereke, Amie Liebowitz and Elizabeth Kazibure in London. Daniel Dadzie in Accra Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

30 min

See All (666)

The breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Hear the most important global stories from the BBC, the most trusted name in international news. With reporters on the ground in every country, we’re always where the story is. We bring you unparalleled access and exclusive updates that you won’t get anywhere else. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. From Trump’s White House to Putin’s Kremlin, from the Ukraine War to the Israel-Gaza conflict. From Damascus to Delhi, from Silicon Valley to Singapore, from Washington DC to Wuhan. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Subscribe now and never miss a moment. Also listen to The Happy Pod, every Saturday, for the best global good news. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

4.2 (1253)

DAILY NEWS
At 25, Hannah’s life begins falling apart. An anonymous intruder has made her phone her enemy. Aided by the technology we all rely on, this intruder is watching Hannah, threatening her, even pretending to be her. Feeling increasingly unsafe, Hannah goes to the police, but they can’t stop it. Worse, they don’t even recognise it for what it is: stalking. Hannah doesn’t know for sure who is behind it all, but she suspects an older man she met more than two years earlier at London Fashion Week. Initially, he claimed to have been hacked. Even today, he disputes stalking her. To make sense of what’s happening Hannah turns to a woman she’s known since she was seven years-old, and who also happens to be an investigative journalist. Together with her “ex-step mum” Carole Cadwalladr, they set out to piece together something the police couldn’t: the true identity of Hannah’s stalker. Doing so means untangling a web of deception spanning continents. On her suspected stalker’s trail, Hannah realises nothing about them is as she first thought.

4.4 (109)

TRUE CRIME
The comedy podcast that takes history seriously. In each episode of You’re Dead to Me from BBC Radio 4, Greg Jenner is joined by a comedian and an expert historian to learn and laugh about the past. History isn’t just about dates and textbooks – it’s about extraordinary characters, amazing stories, and some very questionable fashion choices. How long did it take to build an Egyptian pyramid? What does the Bayeux Tapestry reveal about medieval life? Why did it take nearly half a millennium for Joan of Arc to become a saint? And was Catherine the Great really all that great? Whether you want to explore ancient landmarks like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, dance through the history of Broadway and Bollywood, or find out how the Tudors rose to power, Greg and his guests promise to teach you something new that you won’t have heard in history lessons. Previous episodes of You’re Dead To Me have covered everything from royals to revolutionaries, actors to activists and divas to dictators. Take a stroll through the history of high-heeled shoes or get the scoop on the history of ice cream. Maybe you’d like to paint like the cave artists of the Palaeolithic era, work out like a Victorian bodybuilder, or fight like a Spartan? We’ve even hosted a special, live episode with the BBC Concert Orchestra to explore the dramatic life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Whatever your historical interests, Greg and his guests make even the trickiest topics easy to follow. Join them for a history lesson that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening - with no homework required.

4.8 (681)

HISTORY
Season 7: World of Secrets presents: The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam. Also: Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods. Women accuse Mohamed Al Fayed of rape. And: The Abercrombie Guys. Investigating sexual exploitation claims against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch. Delve into a World of Secrets: the global investigations podcast from the BBC. Uncovering stories around the world and telling them, episode by episode, with gripping storytelling. Latest season: World of Secrets presents, The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam. It was the biggest gold discovery in history…until it wasn’t. In 1995, Canadian mining company Bre-X announced to the world it had found a significant amount of gold deep in the jungles of Indonesia. Stock prices soared as investors worldwide fought to stake their claim. But when Bre-X’s chief geologist mysteriously fell from a helicopter over the jungle, the story of the billion dollar discovery began to unravel. Nearly three decades later, no one has ever been held accountable. Now, host Suzanne Wilton takes listeners from the jungles of Indonesia to small town Alberta, Canada, to investigate what really happened and find out more about the man behind the biggest goldmine fraud of all time. Produced for the BBC World Service and CBC by BBC Scotland Productions. The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam was first published in May 2024. Previous seasons of World of Secrets: Season 6: The Bad Guru. A yoga school in London. A guru running from the police. How did Miranda get sucked in? Journalist Cat McShane investigates the international yoga movement headed by Gregorian Bivolaru, the spiritual guide arrested by French police in November 2023 and charged with human trafficking, organised kidnapping, rape and organised abuse of weakness by members of a sect. Season 5: Finding Mr Fox. Investigating a plot to smuggle around a hundred millions of dollars’ worth of drugs from Brazil to Europe and the miscarriage of justice that followed. But where is the man Brazilian police believe to be at the centre of it all? Season 4: Al Fayed, Predator at Harrods. Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed – then owner of Harrods, one of the most famous shops in the world – is accused of rape and attempted rape by women who worked for him. Now they refuse to be silenced any longer. Season 3: The Apartheid Killer. All the victims were black and the youngest was just 12 years old. Some relatives are still searching for the graves. They were killed during a three-year bloodbath in the 1980s, in the South African city of East London – by one person. He killed so many, he lost count. In piecing together this story, we expose the disturbed past and racial injustices of South Africa itself. Season 2: The Disciples. The cult of Nigerian prophet TB Joshua. A story of miracles, faith and manipulation, told by people from around the world, who gave up everything for one of the most powerful religious figures of the century. Lured by TB Joshua’s claimed healing powers, they live as disciples in a guarded Lagos compound, cut off from family and friends. Season 1: The Abercrombie Guys. An investigation into claims of sexual exploitation made against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch. He and his British partner were accused by several men, recruited for sex events they hosted around the world.

4.6 (238)

DOCUMENTARY
Peak Danger is Season 2 of Extreme, the BBC podcast about those who chase the impossible... who strive for superhuman status and refuse to accept that life has any limits. Every season tells an unforgettable, action-packed story about people who’ve pushed their minds and bodies to the very edge – but at what cost? A mountain of trouble... In August 2008, around 30 climbers took on K2. Over 2 disastrous days, 11 of those people would lose their lives. This is the story of what really happened. Sitting on the border between China and Pakistan, K2 is a perfect pyramid that pierces through the clouds. It looks like a kid’s drawing of a mountain…but this terrifying peak is anything but child’s play. Newlyweds Cecilie Skog and her husband Rolf Bae loved climbing mountains almost as much as they loved one another. In the summer of 2008, they embarked on a honeymoon like no other, when they decided to climb K2. What happened next would change their lives and the lives of everyone around them…forever. A devastating avalanche scatters high altitude climbers across K2’s steep slopes. Life and death rescue missions quickly get underway. Who can be saved… before time runs out? Historian and podcaster Natalia Mehlman Petrzela returns with a sky-high story of human vs nature, and of survival against all the odds. What does it really take to push yourself to the brink of human possibility? How does it feel to stand with the whole world at your feet? And is it ever worth risking death… in order to feel alive?

4.4 (43)

DOCUMENTARY
History's Heroes: the BBC's breathtaking, high stakes, story-led history podcast feed that shines a light on extraordinary people from across history. Series include 'History's Youngest Heroes' with narration from Nicola Coughlan and 'History's Secret Heroes' with narration from Helena Bonham Carter. In History's Youngest Heroes, actress Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls) tells twelve true stories of rebellion, risk and the radical power of youth. Before she became a Hollywood star, how did the young Audrey Hepburn take on the Nazis during World War Two? As a young activist, how did Nelson Mandela attempt to overthrow the South African government to end apartheid? Did Queen of England, Lady Jane Grey give up her faith or face the executioner's axe? Why did Terry Fox, a young man with a prosthetic leg, set out to run the length of Canada? Join Nicola to hear inspiring tales of young heroes both famous and forgotten, whose bravery demonstrates how young people can change history. In History's Secret Heroes, Helena Bonham Carter recounts untold stories of heroes from World War Two whose acts of resistance, deception and courage helped defeat fascism. In each episode, Helena shines a light on the spies, Royal Air Force pilots, army officers, prisoners of war and double agents who risked their lives to save others. Learn all about forgotten stories of survival, bravery and espionage - from the opera singers who helped dozens of Jewish people escape Nazi Germany, to the woman that Winston Churchill would go on to call his favourite spy. Previous episodes have looked at the story of the American actor George Takei (Star Trek), who was imprisoned without trial along with 12,000 other Japanese Americans, and Bela Hazan, a young Jewish woman who went undercover at the Gestapo headquarters to fight against the Nazis. From secret missions behind enemy lines in occupied Europe, to underground resistance movements across Germany, France, Poland, Great Britain and beyond, History's Secret Heroes reveals how ordinary people can make an extraordinary impact. Join Nicola and Helena for tales of deception, rebellion, risk and courage.

4.8 (74)

HISTORY

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4.6

out of 5

53 Ratings

A small change request

2019-05-08

Azuka E.

Please, more good news stories of something positive happening on the continent. At least one every episode will make a difference in someone’s life.
Podcast ending

2023-05-25

Jacush

It’s disappointing this will come to an end as I’m Inc Canada and info on the continent is informative but I do look forward to its replacement. Please confirm the exact name of the predecessor podcast so that I may sign up as Focus On Africa (as noted in your notification at the start of each issue) is not a valid name
Good but lacking in-depth analysis

2023-04-18

Advocasting

I find Bola and Audrey interview questions interesting. I’d like the podcast to go deeper on certain subjects and for example try to unpack the root causes of the expansion of terrorism in West Africa. All this in a format digestible for folks not routinely following the subject. An example of such a podcast that does this is the NYT daily. but is predictably US centric.
Good, but too many stories from Kenya

2022-04-29

Needs more quizs

Good, but please have stories from more countries.