Africa Daily

“This was on another level, but a typical Nigerian wedding is usually big, bold, and rich in tradition and culture - it's a show of our heritage.”When Tanzanian music star Juma Jux married Nigerian influencer Priscilla Ojo, the hashtag #JP2025 took over social media feeds across Africa and beyond. Their lavish Lagos wedding had flamboyant fashion, a 15-foot cake entrance, and a celebrity-filled guestlist. It became one of the continent's most talked-about weddings.But in times of economic hardship for many, it also raises deeper questions: What do these extravagant weddings reveal about culture, class, and celebration in Africa today?Mpho Lakaje speaks to Nigerian content creator Anyanwu Chioma, known online as AnChi Vibes, and Tanzanian journalist Meenah Ally, who were both at the wedding.

In January 2024, protests erupted across Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa as Kenyans demanded justice for women killed in a wave of femicides. The government promised action, launching a 90 day task force to deliver recommendations to President William Ruto. But that deadline has long passed and there’s still no clear plan. BBC Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje speaks to feminist activist Editar Ochieng and policy expert Kavinya Makau to explore why progress has stalled, what’s happening behind the scenes and their thoughts on whether Kenya is truly committed to ending femicide.

”It has been a week and a half since we heard that Joseph Kabila was leaving South Africa for DRC. Since then, however, we haven’t heard much more about whether he arrived in Goma” - Goma resident. Last week the news that former President Joseph Kabila had returned to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo grabbed the attention of the world’s media. But why has his presence in that part of the country been such a hot topic, even against the backdrop of a potential, imminent deal between the governments of the DRC and Rwanda? Today on the podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks to the BBC’s Emery Makumeno in Kinshasa, Erik Kennes, a senior research fellow for the Africa Programme, while our reporter Ikaba Koyi gets opinions from residents in Goma.

“I can see that president Trump is trying to play some kind of a chess [game] to put the other nations in the context of a prisoner’s dilemma to say, okay, if I do this, what happens? If I do that, what happens?” - Professor Gowokani Chijere Chirwa, University of Malawi This week, American president Donald Trump will mark 100 days in office. His second tenure at the White House has been marred by controversial Executive Orders and heated exchanges with foreign governments. Some of his decisions, particularly the withdrawal of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have been devastating to many African countries. These funding cuts left millions of HIV and TB patients in limbo. But it was his reciprocal tariffs that truly rattled the world. Even smaller countries like Lesotho who were slapped with a 50% hike and Madagascar who received 47%, were not spared. So, today, Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje finds out what lessons African governments should be taking from the unexpected import tax hikes. Guests: Professor Gowokani Chijere Chirwa and Prosper Chitambara

“This generation of storytellers are ageing. Our elders are ageing. I am the one who needs to start this preservation process — at least in my family,” says Hana Baba, a Sudanese-American journalist and podcaster. Her new podcast, Folktales from Sudan, brings ancient Arabic fables to life in English for the first time. It’s aimed at young people in the diaspora who may not speak the language or have lost their connection to Sudanese traditions. As conflict continues to devastate Sudan and displace millions, Hana believes there’s an urgent need to preserve the stories, humour, and wisdom of her culture, and pass it on to the next generation.

The relationship between Algeria and France - often sensitive, sometimes strained, but usually restrained - has soured horribly in recent weeks. With tit-for-tat expulsions, diplomatic recalls and lingering resentment over France’s stance on Western Sahara, some observers are calling this crisis unprecedented. So, have Algeria and France reached a point of no return? BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to BBC Arabic’s Ahmed Rouaba to unpack what’s fuelling the latest fallout between the two countries.

“South Africa is known for championing human rights using diplomacy to bring all parties together. But it’s not as simple as that” - Thelela Ngcetane-Vika of the Wits School of Governance in Johannesburg.South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is meeting his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky in the capital Pretoria today.The two are expected to discuss the on-going war in Europe, trade and several other issues.This comes a few days after Ramaphosa had a telephone conversation with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin about the conflict.Today, Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja attempts to understand if the southern African nation has what it takes to help end the conflict which started in February 2022.Some political observers argue that it will be a tricky assignment for Ramaphosa, considering his close proximity to Putin.Relations between Russia and South Africa date back to the years of apartheid, when the then Soviet Union threw its weight behind black liberation movements.

“Our goal is to... silence the guns.” One of the stated aims of the African Union is to 'promote peace, security, and stability on the continent'. With that in mind, the organisation co-hosted a conference aimed at finding an end to Sudan’s war last week in London. But even as discussions continued in London, thousands of civilians in Northern Darfur were fleeing for their lives under military bombardment. And in other parts of the continent there are other equally bloody and apparently unresolvable conflicts – including in neighbouring South Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Sahel region where Islamist jihadist groups are active. So how much impact can such meetings, and the organisation, actually have? For today’s Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks to the AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Bankole Adeoye.

“We’ve had a pope who was able to grasp and understand the problems in third world countries.”In 2023 Pope Francis showed his commitment to Africa by visiting two countries riven by conflict: the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out to celebrate him in Kinshasa. But his decision was not a surprising choice – given that he’d made social justice and the rights of the poor and suffering central to his papacy.So when the news of his death was announced yesterday, it was greeted by African Catholics with both sadness, but also prayers of thanks for his life.For today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja hears from two Congolese people who met the pope as students, Mpongo Simon and Christine Mwanini, and speaks to Father Desmond Nair, a Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Durban, South Africa.

A recent study from Tanzania shows that switching from a Western diet to a traditional Kilimanjaro diet can significantly improve health markers in just two weeks. The discussion highlights how diverse African foods and cooking methods can reduce inflammation and enhance cardiovascular health. While navigating food choices, the podcast emphasizes the importance of balancing healthy eating with economic factors. Additionally, it advocates reviving traditional diets to counteract the allure of fast food and improve public health, drawing parallels with the well-researched Mediterranean diet.