Focus on Africa

BBC Podcasts
  • 4.2 (28)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED DAILY
Focus on Africa Podcast

The biggest African news stories, ad-free

₦1,300.00/month or ₦13,000.00/year

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.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    City of Maiduguri submerged in heaviest flooding

    Devastating floods caused by a burst dam in northeastern Nigeria have submerged entire residential areas, displacing tens of thousands of people and animals. Authorities say at least thirty people have died. Two hundered prisoners also escaped from the Maiduguri state prison. It's been described as the worst flooding in thirty years, reports our correspondent Azzezat Olaoluwa in Maiduguri. Also, how the influence of so-called Islamic State in Mali is making things worse for women and girls in the Sahel. And the long history behind naked protests in Uganda. Three young women who staged a nude protest against corruption in front of the country's parliamentary buildings recently, are facing charges in a court of law. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Bella Hassan, Susan Gachuhi and Alfonso Daniels. Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

    32 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    Kenya airports: Who is Adani group?

    Why are workers at Kenya's main airports objecting to a planned deal to lease the facility to India's Adani Group for 30 years?   How Cameroon's simmering secessionist rebellion is affecting schooling for children    And why African women need to be involved in developing Artificial Intelligence.   Presenter : Audrey Brown Producers: Charles Gitonga and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi, Todah Opeyemi in Lagos with Bella Hassan and Paul Bakibinga in London Technical Producer: Nick Randell Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

    32 min

  3. 4 DAYS AGO

    Reflections a year since floods in Derna

    On the night of 10 September 2023, Storm Daniel unleashed torrential rain and fierce winds on Libya’s north-east region. Two dams burst near Derna, releasing a devastating flood wave that swept through the city centre, killing thousands of people and causing widespread destruction. A year on since the disaster - a survivor reflects on the day and life now in Derna. Also, there is a new malaria vaccine that could protect pregnant women and their unborn children. And how the recent killings of Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei in Kenya and Christiania Idowu in Nigeria sparked deliberations on the extent of misogyny and femicide in some african societies on social media. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Patrcia Whitehorn, Yvette Twagiramariya, Stefania Okereke and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

    37 min

  4. 5 DAYS AGO

    Is laxity behind  schools fires in Kenya?

    In recent years, there have been several incidents of fires at  boarding schools in Kenya, causing concern about  safety measures in place. Is accountability possible? Dark days ahead as Zambia plans to shut down its hydropower plant at Kariba due to drought And how changing forms of payment for land are affecting women farmers in Sierra Leone. Presenter: Audrey Producers :Frenny Jowi, Susan Gachuhi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos and Bella Hassan in London. Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

    31 min

  5. 6 DAYS AGO

    Why Algeria's President is not a uniting figure

    Algeria's incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been re-elected with almost 95% of the vote. Election officials reported that less than 6 million of the country's 24 million voters turned out to vote raising questions about Tebboune's popular support. We'll get analysis. Also, the Nigerian woman in Canada who allegedly made threats against other Nigerian ethnic groups in the country. And how did African athletes fare at the 2024 Paralympics? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan, Kaine Pieri, Stefania Okereke and Patrcia Whitehorne. Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

    31 min

  6. 6 SEPT

    South Africa's ANC party denies allegations of murders.

    South Africa’s ruling ANC denies allegations of harassment and killing human rights activists in the country. The Grenfell Tower fire in London report is out after seven years. 72 people, including several from Africa, were killed. Were any lessons learnt? And why has Ethiopia suspended flights to Eritrea ? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Yvette Twagiramariya, Joseph Keen and Bella Hassan in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical Producers: Francesca Dunne and Nick Randell Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

    35 min

  7. 5 SEPT

    The death of Rebecca Cheptegei

    Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend. The 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner, who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, had suffered extensive burns following Sunday's attack. We hear a moving tribute and reaction to her death, also what's it like being a female athlete? Over 100 people have been killed in northeastern Nigeria by the group known as Boko Haram. Are the militants re-grouping? And can AI be helpful when it comes to archiving African music? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Bella Hassan, Rob Wilson and Claudia Efemini in London. Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

    35 min

  8. 4 SEPT

    Dozens killed in DR Congo jailbreak

    An attempt by inmates to break out of Makala high-security prison in Kinshasa, DR Congo, has led to the deaths of more than 100 people. How can Africa benefit from ties with China? And can traditional and modern medicine work together? We hear from someone who practices both in Uganda. Presenter :Audrey Producers: Sunita Nahar, Bella Hassan and Stefania Okereke in London. Charles Gitonga and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

    31 min
See All (520)

Shows with Subscription Benefits

  • The day’s top stories from BBC News. Delivered twice a day on weekdays, daily at weekends.

    • 3.9 (138)
    • DAILY NEWS

  • NEW 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. During a three-year bloodbath in the 1980s, at least 39 people were killed in the South African city of East London – by one person. After years of investigation, we’ve tracked him down. He killed so many, he lost count. It has been 30 years since the white supremacist apartheid regime crumbled. The unresolved trauma of this time has cast a long shadow across a nation. In piecing together this story, the new season of World of Secrets exposes the disturbed past and racial injustices of South Africa itself. This is a BBC World Service investigation. World of Secrets is the BBC podcast about the stories they don’t want told. Delve into a World of Secrets – major BBC global investigations and gripping storytelling. Holding the powerful to account and exposing scandals around the world. These are our previous seasons: 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, and the promise that one day they could be like him, 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. #WorldofSecrets

    • 4.8 (6)
    • DOCUMENTARY

  • The latest news, insight, analysis and big name guests from the Premier League, WSL and the Football League, plus Scottish, International and European football. Join us! Get in touch with us @5liveSport on social media and remember to leave us your ratings and reviews.

    • 4.2 (17)
    • SPORT

  • If you've ever yelled at someone on social media about, say, cancel culture or mask-wearing, then you are a soldier in the culture wars - those everyday battles for dominance between conflicting values. The acclaimed writer and podcaster Jon Ronson has seen friends swallowed up in them to the extent that it's ruined their lives. Jon was curious to learn how things fell apart, and so he went back into the history of the culture wars to find some of the origin stories: the pebbles thrown in the pond, creating the ripples that led us to where we are today. He had no idea what he'd find, but he's uncovered some extraordinary people and the strangest, yet most consequential tales.

    • 5.0 (1)
    • PERSONAL JOURNALS

  • The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.

    • 4.0 (8)
    • BUSINESS

  • Interviews, news and analysis of the day's global events.

    • 4.5 (4)
    • NEWS

The biggest African news stories, ad-free

₦1,300.00/month or ₦13,000.00/year

View Subscription FAQs

4.2
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Channel
    BBC Podcasts
  • Creator
    BBC World Service
  • Years Active
    2007 - 2024
  • Episodes
    520
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2024
  • Show Website
    Focus on Africa
  • Provider
    BBC Studios Distribution Limited

More From BBC Podcasts

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada