Africa Daily

Alan Kasujja is back in Lagos. He was last there in the days before the presidential election in February. Since then a lot has changed. The country has a new government and a new president – Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. A surprise removal of subsidies on fuel has seen prices saw at petrol stations. And inflation currently at 26% has seen the cost of many other products soar. In the first of three episodes looking at a changing Nigeria, Alan looks at how life in Lagos has changed since his last visit. #AfricaDaily

“The world wants us to constantly fight and struggle and be on the offensive. I think in those moments of sport, we become who we truly are, which is people who really wanna live with each other, be at peace with each other” – Khanyi Magubane. South Africa arrived in France and the 2023 Rugby World Cup as defending champions, with the hope to hoist the trophy for a 4th equalling time. The African nation last lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in Japan in 2019. But for South Africa, win or lose, this is not just about sport. During the years of apartheid, when white minority politically and economically oppressed the black majority, rugby was used by the ruling National party at the time as a tool of segregation. Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje attempts to find out why rugby continues to be a symbol of unity in South Africa. Guests: Vata Ngobeni and Khanyi Magubane.

Often seen as the workhorse of transport in some parts of Africa, the humble bicycle is going through a change on the continent, as people start to cycle for fun and fitness. Modern bikes with more gears and the rise in popularity of taking exercise to get fit have contributed to an increase in recreational cycling. However, safety on the roads remains a major challenge, and United Nations figures from a report last year say 18 cyclists are killed on Africa’s roads every day. So with that in mind, Victoria Uwonkunda joined two cycling enthusiasts - Angela Wainaina, who is the captain of Joyriders cycling club in Kenya, and Temitope George who is the captain of Cycology cycling club in Nigeria – to ask them ‘why cycle for fun?’

A daughter complains to her father that she never gets to see him. She says she feels like they don’t spend enough time together. Craig Phakathi is a long distance truck driver in Zimbabwe and he too wants to have time with his daughter. So he invites her along and they go on the road together, with Bhule joining her dad for five days. Alan Kasujja also decides to enlist the help of his own daughter Zuri, in this chat about parent-child relationship, finding that work and life balance and what it is like having to travel for work - something both Alan and Craig know a thing or two about.

Sierra Leone has managed to reduce the number of women who die during and after childbirth by half in the last 2 years. But the maternal mortality figures are still too high, and the government has called it a ‘national emergency’. A new maternity centre is being built in the east of the country as part of the drive to improve the medical care of women and the training of midwives. And it’s being built mostly by women. Alan Kasujja hears from workers Bintu Missah and Hawa Baryoh and midwife Isata Dumbuya about the significance of this new Maternal Centre of Excellence.

Many governments around the world have been questioning how prepared they were for covid- 19 and discussing what they might do in another pandemic. But what about Africa? One of the most interesting and significant things happening on the continent is an early warning system in Nigeria which could alert Africa and the world to an emerging pandemic. It’s been developed by Professor Christian Happi, he’s the Director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemer’s University in Nigeria. Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Professor Happi about the work happening at the centre and the lessons learned from covid-19.

In 2015 the price of crude oil fell and since then Nigeria has struggled with a shortage of foreign currency- dollars. It led the previous government to place restrictions on who could access dollars through the official markets – including banning the use of foreign exchange for the importation of 43 items including rice, cooking oil, tooth picks, and cement. That ban has now been lifted as part of a series of reforms introduced by Nigeria’s current government. When President Bola Tinubu came to power in May this year he criticised the past policies of the central bank and accused it of mismanaging the foreign exchange crisis. But can his policies improve the situation? For today’s Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks to BBC Africa’s business correspondent Nkechi Ogbonna in Lagos.

The Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Gaza is not just an international border point, but is a symbol of the complicated nature of the north African country’s relationship with the Middle East conflict. Since the 7th October 2023 attacks on Israel by the militant group Hamas, and Israel’s military response, the Rafah Crossing is back in the headlines. It’s seen as a lifeline for Gaza, but has also been closed and opened many times over the years. We discuss its significance with the BBC’s Amal Saeed from our Cairo Bureau.

Since April this year, South Africa has been hit by its worst bird flu outbreak since 2017.Known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or HPAI, it’s caused the deaths of millions of chickens and a severe shortage of eggs. Now the flu has been detected in Mozambique leading to the concern that it could become a regional problem. Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje speaks to Dr. Abongile Balarane from the South African Poultry Association to understand the flu's impact and its potential risks to humans – and hears from chicken farmers and consumers in Johannesburg to see how the egg shortage is impacting on their daily lives.

In recent years, Morocco has been spending millions of dollars in developing its football. It now boasts six FIFA approved stadiums, a competitive local league and has world class transport infrastructure. Some of its investment paid off in 2022 when it reached the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. But what exactly is Morocco trying to achieve with its multimillion dollar investment in football? Can hosting the 2030 World Cup boost its economy? Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guests: Jalal Bounouar and Brian Wesaala