

Focus on Africa
BBC World Service
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 18, 2024 • 28min
Why is Ghana's opposition demanding a voters roll audit ?
Ahead of knife-edge December elections there are demands for an independent forensic audit of the voter register. The electoral commission says it is not needed. Why is the opposition party NDC adamant?Communities in Guinea welcome the return of land taken from them violently by previous governmentsAfrica's future is urban- we explore what's behind the growth of megacities on the continent?Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Sunita Nahar, Bella Hassan, Yvette Twagiramariya, Kaine Pieri and Nyasha Michelle in London.
Technical Producer: Nick Randell
Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Sep 17, 2024 • 33min
Will Kenya’s labour deal with Germany work?
Kenya’s President Ruto has struck a labour deal with Germany, but how will the policy work, and will the skilled and semi-skilled workers arriving from Kenya be well-received? Is Tanzania's increasing involvement in the tobacco industry sacrificing the health of its population? And why did a student take Ghana's education department to court over his hairstyle?Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Charles Gitonga and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Yvette Twagiramariya, Benjamin Woodroof and Nyasha Michelle in London
Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne
Technical producer: Francesca Dunne
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Sep 16, 2024 • 31min
Why did Senegal's president dissolve parliament?
Why did Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolve the National Assembly?Consensual same sex acts are not a crime in Ivory Coast, so why are homophobic attacks on the rise?Plus, we meet the man who's trying to save African indigenous vegetables from dying out.Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Charles Gitonga in Nairobi and Nyasha Michelle, Bella Hassan and Yvette Twagiramariya in London.
Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga
Technical producer: Francesca Dunne
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Sep 13, 2024 • 32min
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

Sep 12, 2024 • 32min
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

Sep 11, 2024 • 37min
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

Sep 10, 2024 • 31min
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 droughtAnd 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.

Sep 9, 2024 • 31min
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

Sep 6, 2024 • 35min
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

Sep 5, 2024 • 35min
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