Next Africa

Nollywood is bringing a touch of West Africa to the Cannes Film Festival. My Father’s Shadow is making history as the first Nigerian Film to be an Official Selection at the Festival - showing the rising prominence of Nollywood on the world stage. And investors are starting to take notice. On today’s episode, Jennifer Zabasajja talks to our Nigeria Bureau Chief, Anthony Osae-Brown about the growing popularity of Nollywood, how Netflix and Amazon brought new investment to the industry and why asset managers are now starting to take notice.For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon Marks, a Bloomberg reporter based in Nairobi, brings his expertise on the Sudanese civil war to the discussion. He reveals how recent drone strikes on Port Sudan have intensified the conflict, with Sudan accusing the UAE of supporting rival forces. The conversation delves into the strategic importance of Port Sudan and the humanitarian crises prompted by the violence. Marks highlights the challenges of verifying claims against the UAE while shedding light on the region's escalating famine and ongoing struggles for peace.

With influencer ads and high-profile marketing campaigns, Russia’s global outreach program is operating across Africa, offering young women work-study opportunities in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone. Fliers and promotional materials for the program feature images of smiling young African women working as technicians and waitresses. However, reports in international media suggest that the reality of working in Alabuga is far grimmer than the version being marketed. On this week’s episode, Senior Reporter Antony Sguazzin joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explore whether the scheme’s claims hold up under scrutiny and how Interpol is investigating allegations that the program amounts to human trafficking. Instead of providing genuine job opportunities, it may be placing young African women at risk in a war zone. You can read Antony’s reporting on the Alabuga Start programme here.For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, DC - the trade war and its impact on the global economy is the centre of attention, and putting more pressure on the African governments trying to negotiate deals with the fund.  Ghana and Zambia have turned their economies around with IMF help — but  Kenya, Mozambique and Senegal find themselves having to try and negotiate new IMF programmes  at a time when there’s less help to be found.  On this episode of the Next Africa Podcast, Jennifer Zabasajja is joined by Bloomberg’s Matthew Hill, to find out what’s on the negotiating table, and how a trade war is making life harder for African governments already stuck between angry citizens and a restrictive IMF For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lesotho was hit with the highest U.S. tariffs on the African continent, a 50% levy on its exports, before President Donald Trump paused the move for 90 days. The kingdom’s trade minister is warning that if those duties go ahead, Lesotho could face a liquidity crisis. Trump announced this month that tariffs of at least 10% will apply to most imports, with even steeper rates targeting goods from around 60 countries, all in a push to curb what he calls unfair trade imbalances.Lesotho is now hoping to launch high-level talks with Washington.On today’s episode, Jennifer Zabasajja speaks with Maarten Van Doesburg, Head of Economics at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, about what could be at stake in those negotiations — and what Trump might really want in the long run. For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Formula One cars last raced in Africa in 1993, but now a concerted effort from investors and governments are trying to bring the races back to the continent. Bloomberg’s Senior Africa Reporter has been looking at the proposals bidding for a new a licence and talks to Jennifer Zabasajja about what’s being planned, who’s paying for it, and whether we really will see an African race on the Formula One circuit any time soon For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump imposed the steepest American tariffs in a century as he steps up his campaign to reshape the global economy. Many African countries have been hit with the so-called reciprocal tariffs including a 31% levy on South Africa and 50% on Lesotho.  Bloomberg Economics Africa Economist Yvonne Mhango joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what the impacts of these tariffs will be on African Economies - and what the global trade war could mean for hopes of growth. For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some call it the sport of kings or the passport to the world, and in Nigeria Polo has become a business essential. In Lagos, government ministers and business leaders play side by side while the sport gets sponsorship from global giants such as Coco Cola. Bloomberg reporter Tiwa Adebayo joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain how Polo became such a part of corporate culture in Nigeria, and how much business is taking place on the polo field rather than in the board room For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global cocoa shortages are finally set to ease this season, as harvests improve and demand falls, creating a surplus for the first time in three years. But even with Cocoa hitting record high prices, the industry is taking time to recover, and debt and the need to honour contracts at cheaper prices mean farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast - the world's biggest cocoa producing countries- aren’t yet seeing much benefit from the rising price. Bloomberg Soft Commodities reporter Mumbi Gitau has just returned from Ghana and Ivory Coast, and joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what the recovery looks like at the cocoa farms, the pressures the industry is still facing and what it means for the price of our chocolate bars. For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two budgets on different sides of the continent this week show the struggle African countries are facing when it comes to growing their economies. In Ghana, the new administration promised 10% spending cuts plus a higher tax on gold revenue, and in South Africa the much-delayed budget -- and its VAT hike -- still needs to find a way through parliament. With the global economy dealing with multiple conflicts and a chaotic trade war, what’s the outlook for growth in Africa in 2025? Jennifer Zabasajja sits down with Bloomberg Economics Africa Economist Yvonne Mhango to break down the headlines from these key budgets and find out what the global turmoil means for Africa.    For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.