Focus on Africa

Fighting has reportedly erupted in Ethiopia’s turbulent Amhara region. Reports say local militia fighters clashed with the military, over government plans to disarm local forces. What's behind this escalation, and what does it portend for the future of Africa's second most populous country?We look into why the Egyptian government has ordered a three-month ban on onion exports.And why young women admired Zoleka Mandela, granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, who has died of cancer aged 43.

France says it will withdraw its troops and ambassador from Niger. The military junta which seized power in July has welcomed the move. But what impact will this have on Niger’s ability to deal with insurgency?Also, in Ghana protestors demand their right to protest amid the arrest of several people by police. For three days demonstrators have taken to the streets to protest against the high cost of living.And we speak to Zawadi Ya Mungu and Kerolin Govender two South African singers from different backgrounds who are collaborating to heal racial divides.

Mohbad: There's been controversy and outrage following mysterious death and hasty burial of Nigerian Afrobeats rapper Mohbad. Authorities have now carried out an exhumation of his body for autopsy following protests on streets and social mediaHow is climate change affecting Africa's pastoralists. We hear from a representative attending Climate Week in New YorkAnd at the rugby World Cup in France this weekend it is reigning champions South Africa against Grand Slam winners -Ireland. What are Africa's chances?

Ten years ago, members of the Islamist group al-Shabab attacked the Westgate shopping mall in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The incident lasted for four tense days and left 67 people dead. In this special episode of Focus on Africa, we'll hear from Valentine Kadzo and Shamim Allu who survived the Westgate attack. They talk about the impact it has had on their lives and how they managed to heal ten years later. We'll also speak to the BBC's Bushra Mohamed, who is a Kenyan-Somali and explains how her community has been affected by the incidents that followed the attack. And security analyst Dr. Hannah Macharia explains how the attack changed Kenya's counter-terrorism approach.

There are concerns that violent extremists are expanding their activities to northern Ivory Coast. A report by the Institute for Security Studies says that these groups have found ways to finance their activities, particularly along the border which West Africa's largest economy shares with Burkina Faso.A landmark case in Rivers State in southern Nigeria gives women the right to inherit property. What does this mean in practice?And the museum in the Netherlands which tells the story behind looted artefacts through the centuries.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, three West African countries in the Sahel region which are ruled by military juntas, have signed a defence pact to come to aid each other in case of any rebellion or external aggression.BBC Africa Eye investigation team gets a look inside a xenophobic vigilante group in South Africa.And how cheetahs from Namibia are now faring in India.

The crisis in Mali continues to deepen. An alliance of Tuareg rebels called the CMA, which had signed an agreement with the government, has announced that it is resuming hostilities. That comes after Mali’s military government ordered the expulsion of French troops and UN peacekeepers from the country, with a jihadist insurgency still proving impossible to overcome.Could the deaths of thousands of people in Derna, Libya and the extensive damage to property and infrastructure been mitigated? We hear the views of a construction engineerPlus, how the self-declared Republic of Somaliland is using an app to boost literacy skills.

There are scenes of utter devastation in Libya's eastern city of Derna, after a powerful storm caused two dams to burst, sweeping away large parts of the port city. Some aid has arrived, but with the country struggling under divided political administrations in the east and west, Libya's Prime Minister in Tripoli said they would only accept "necessary aid". We look at how the catastrophic impact of Storm Daniel has brought the country’s fragile and complex political situation to the fore.The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted a year-long visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers. Flights were stopped last year after Dubai’s Emirates airline suspended operations in Nigeria as it was angered by moves preventing it from transferring its revenues overseas because of a foreign currency crisis.Also…Conservationists in Egypt oppose the government’s plan to build a highway through Cairo’s centuries old cemetery The City of the Dead.

We look at why Morocco’s government has been selective over offers of humanitarian assistance from abroad, after the devastating earthquake which has killed more than 2,800 people.Four East African countries have reportedly incurred an estimated $30 billion in losses between 2021 and 2023, due to extreme droughts and devastating floods.Plus we meet the Queen of African horror writing, who is scared of ghosts.

The number of people killed in Friday's powerful earthquake in Morocco has risen to more than two thousand people, the interior ministry says. With a magnitude of 6.8, the earthquake which hit central Morocco is the biggest the area has seen since before 1900. We explore the impact of military rule in Guinea two years after the fall of former President Alpha Conde.And we hear how a British-Nigerian performance artist is using opera to reconnect with her Pidgin-speaking roots.

We go to Gabon to get the latest on the situation in the country, after the military forced President Ali Bongo from power. The transitional authorities have held talks with dissidents jailed under Ali Bongo, and have freed some political prisoners.An update from Kadugli in Sudan, an area that has been experiencing heavy fighting in recent weeks. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced there, as the country as a whole faces up to a dire humanitarian situation. Plus should Africa's hopes for the rugby World Cup rest on the current champions - South Africa?

Nigeria's Appeal Court has rejected challenges to Bola Tinubu's narrow victory in February's presidential election. As election petitions become more common in Africa we ask how fair are election challenges. Between July and October 2022, about 70 children in the west African nation of The Gambia died because of suspected kidney ailments allegedly caused by consumption of cough syrup made in India. A year on since the first deaths in the Gambia, we hear from the families about their shared grief and their struggle for justice.And meet young climate change activists on the frontline pushing for more action beyond pledges following the Africa Climate Summit that took place in Nairobi.

Taiwan's president is visiting Eswatini. It's to mark 55 years of cooperation with her country's last African ally. Has Taipei's influence on the continent waned ? We examine the recent spate of coups in former French colonies in Africa.Plus do we really need vultures? Fears that the scavengers are facing extinction

The government in the Democratic Republic of Congo has said that at least 43 people were killed when soldiers broke up a demonstration against UN peacekeepers in the eastern city of Goma on Wednesday. We ask what's behind the chronic instability in the DRC? Around 80 percent of all farms in Africa are tilled by smallholder farmers. They produce most of the food we eat on the continent - and yet they get very little recognition for what they do. We hear from Wangari Kuria, the founder of Farmer on Fire. She is challenging the leaders currently meeting in Nairobi at the first Africa Climate Summit.And we do a deep dive on the Bongos; the family that has held power in Gabon since 1967.

As the first ever Africa Climate Summit begins in Nairobi, we hear from a community suing the Kenyan government over climate damage.We look at the serious danger to human life posed by air pollution in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos.Plus, can Kenyan police help bring stability to Haiti?

Many buildings in the centre of the South African city of Johannesburg, where a horrific fire has killed more than 70 people, are deemed unfit to live in. Yet these old blocks, abandoned by their owners or the city authorities, are full of families often paying rent to criminal gangs who run them. The buildings, which lack running water, toilets or a legal electricity connection, are then said to have been "hijacked". We find out what this means. A private plane found with more than $5m in cash, fake gold, guns and ammunition on board, is at the centre of a deepening investigation in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. The African Climate Summit will take place in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi next week, featuring speakers from Kenya’s government, the African Union and the United Nations. Will the event be just hot air or will it provide a solid plan of action?

At least 15 truck drivers stuck on the Egypt-Sudan border have recently died from heat stroke. Hundreds have been stuck at the border due to bureaucratic red tape causing congestion What are the medium and long term implications of the coup in Gabon?Plus we meet Koyo Kouoh, the woman in charge of the biggest museum of contemporary art in Africa.

Senior army officers in Gabon announced a coup shortly after President Ali Bongo's re-election was announced. One of the BBC's team spends 24 hours with Tunisia's coast guard as it finds people desperate to cross continents. How to win an argument? We debate the pros and cons of the art of debating with high school students.

Sierra Leone is grappling with a serious substance crisis. A cheap and illegal synthetic drug known as Kush that is wreaking havoc among the youth.Around 500 schools have been shutdown in Cameroon. Will they open in time for the new school year? Plus what's life like as the great granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie?

The runner-up in Zimbabwe's presidential election, Nelson Chamisa, has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of carrying out an electoral coup. Former Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria chairperson Attahiru Muhammadu Jega is leading the Carter Center's observer mission to Zimbabwe. He talks about his role as electoral observer. It has been more than a month since the military in Niger overthrew former President Bazoum. Burkina Faso and Mali have also been living under military governments that came to power through coups. In today's episode of Focus on Africa we ask have the juntas there delivered on their promises and what has life been like for the ordinary citizens ? We speak with Ghanaian actor Majid Michel about how he coped with losing his voice after a car accident in 2015 and the secret to his longevity in the industry.

The BRICS bloc of developing nations agreed this week s to admit six new countries. The countries Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - are set to join in January. Can this counter Western dominance?As thousands of UN troops speed up their pull out of Mali, despite a deteriorating security situation. We talk to BBC Arabic’s Feras Kilani the first journalist to travel to Northern Mali since French forces ended their military operation there two years agoPlus why are more airlines adopting the use of sustainable aviation fuel? We hear from an expert based in Kenya

Wagner boss Prigozhin is presumed dead after Russia plane crash. In his last address, he said the Wagner group is making Africa "more free". His presumed death received little media attention or official reactions in Mali and the Central African Republic where thousands of mercenaries are active. So in today's episode, we ask what would be the impact of Prigozhin’s presumed death on Wagner in Africa.Also, in Tunisia dozens of environment activists are appealing harsh prison sentences handed down after protesting against a dangerous landfill site.And how is climate change affecting livestock? More than one billion cows around the world could experience heat stress by the end of the century.

Haiti has been rocked by deadly violence since the assassination of the country’s President Jovenel Moïse two years ago. A Kenyan delegation has held meetings with Haitian police officials, weeks after the Kenyan government offered to lead a multinational team in tackling the country’s extreme gang violence. We hear from a local businessman on what life is like for ordinary citizens.In the aftermath of the coup in Niger, false claims and misinformation are being shared online, adding to the tensions over the country's future. We look into some of the widely shared claims.How can an entire nation's history be conserved? An ambitious initiative in Nigeria is currently in progress, involving the digitisation of all newspapers published since the country's independence in 1960.

Saudi border guards are accused of the mass killing of migrants along the Yemeni border in a new report by Human Rights Watch. The report says hundreds of people, many of them Ethiopians who cross war-torn Yemen to reach Saudi Arabia, have been shot dead. We delve into the intricacies of coup attempts, as David Otto, Director for Geneva Centre for Africa Security & Strategic Studies shares insight on the crucial factors that determine their success or failure.Plus we speak to Nigerian music producer and artist Eclipse Nkasi about the ethical way of using AI to produce music.

South Africa to host Brics summit but Russia’s President Putin will only join by video link. On the agenda global economic and security matters and the creation of new financial institutions.More than 1,400 people starve to death in Ethiopia's northern Tigray since food aid was suspended because of theftAnd Ghanaian immunologist Yaw Bediako on how to expand research and keep African scientists on the continent.

Zimbabwe prepares to hold its second election since the 2017 overthrow of President Robert Mugabe, with many disenchanted at a lack of progress under his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa. Many Zimbabweans face economic hardship, and some young people are turning to drugs to fill the void created by a lack of opportunities.Plus, we look at the impact of the World Bank saying Uganda won’t receive new loans from the institution, as a result of the country passing a stringent anti-LGBTQ+ law in May. Uganda’s government has called the announcement unjust and hypocritical.And we hear reactions from Ghana to the new government-imposed 10% tax on betting and lottery winnings. The move has not been well received by gamblers, but the authorities say they need the extra revenue.

Libya's political chaos continues. Two powerful militias clashed this week in the capital Tripoli. Calm was restored but over 50 people were killed, and more than 140 were injured. A group of opposition parties in South Africa have been meeting to form an alliance to dislodge the ruling African National Congress from power. But why was the EFF excluded? And a petitioner calls on members of parliament in Kenya to ban the use of popular social media app TikTok. He argues that the application is contributing to the erosion of cultural and religious morals.

After the military junta ruling Niger closed the country’s airspace, we look at the potential implications for the country, and for aviation in Africa more broadly. The move will force commercial aircraft to find alternative routes, increasing flight times and prices for passengers.Plus, we take a look at why Ethiopia is desperate to establish permanent access to a sea port, and why recent comments from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed have provoked the ire of the country’s coastal neighbours.And we look at some of the factors behind the increase in the number of men in Kenya choosing to get vasectomies.

We speak to a farmer who had to flee Sudan due to the ongoing conflict, while the UN is warning that 20 million people in the country face severe acute hunger.What makes a good leader? We'll find out from young Burundian leadership coach Iris Irumva.And we bring you the second part of our special looking at the story behind the prison escape of convicted criminal Thabo Bester, a case that has transfixed South Africa.

A group of data labellers in Kenya want parliament to step in to offer protection from mental trauma caused by reviewing harmful content.Plus, the story of the girl in Mauritania who was arrested for blasphemy over an essay she wrote for school.And how the case of escaped convict Thabo Bester is shining a light on prison privatisation in South Africa.

ECOWAS leaders have ended their emergency summit on the coup in Niger. They say all options are still on the table. They have also called for the immediate activation of a standby force. A new report accuses the Angolan police of serious human rights abuses. And a global survey explores the hopes and aspirations of the world's youth.

Endless queues and empty bakery stalls. Earlier this week, around 200 Tunisian bakers staged a sit-in after a government decision to stop selling them subsidised flour, a move threatening the closure of hundreds of bakeries.Five people, including a police officer have died in violent protests related to the taxi strike in Cape Town, South Africa. We'll hear a first hand account of what it's like to live through the Cape Town minibus taxi strike in South Africa.And we'll also hear from the Nigerian hit singer Flavour who is back on tour in Europe after eight years away. He sheds positive light around crossing the boundaries of tribalism through music.

With the coup leaders in Niger refusing demands to hand power back to the elected government, the West African regional block ECOWAS is considering options including a military invasion of the country. ECOWAS is due to hold an extraordinary summit in Nigeria on Thursday to discuss its next move.Plus, we speak to the reporter behind a new BBC investigation into the 'spiritual healers' sexually abusing women in Morocco and Sudan. And we hear about what the African Development Bank is doing to improve access to clean water and sanitation on the continent.

Russia's Wagner mercenary group is "taking advantage" of instability in Niger, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told the BBC. What does this mean and what is next for Niger? Surviving the bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi's capital 25 years ago, a woman reveals her children face still stigma due to her injuries. More than 200 people died and thousands of others were injured in the 1998 al-Qaeda attacks.Authorities in the South African province of Limpopo have introduced the ‘midnight alcohol law’, which bans the sale of liquor past midnight. The provincial government says the alcohol curfew will help tackle social issues like gender based violence. We’ll hear from the National Liquor Traders Council and from organisations raising awareness on the harm caused by alcohol.

BBC Africa Eye reveals abuse of elderly people at a care home in Kenya. Secret filming shows staff mistreating residents and leaving medical conditions untreated.Plus, we look at the current intensification of fighting in Ethiopia's Amhara region.And Nigeria lose to England at the Women’s World Cup, but will Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses maul France?

BBC Africa Eye reveals abuse of elderly people at a care home in Kenya. Secret filming shows staff mistreating residents and leaving medical conditions untreated.Plus, we look at the current intensification of fighting in Ethiopia's Amhara region.And Nigeria lose to England at the Women’s World Cup, but will Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses maul France?

We bring you reaction to the Senegalese authorities banning TikTok, which activists have been using to coordinate a string of recent protests. Tensions are high in the country, with repeated protests over legal cases against opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, whose PASTEF party was dissolved by the government this week.Plus, ahead of Zimbabwe’s elections later this month, we speak to democracy activist Namatai Kwekweza about the state of politics in the country.And we break down the story behind the viral video of the slow Somali runner competing in the 100m at the World University Games in China.

Kenya’s government has ordered cryptocurrency company Worldcoin to stop signing up new users, due to privacy concerns over the company’s eyeball scanning technology. We look at some of the concerns around digital identities.What's behind the spate of Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark?South Africa's Banyana Banyana reach the knockout stage of the Women's World Cup for the first time with a stoppage-time goal.

Niger’s military rulers reopen the borders, as Mali and Burkina Faso warn ECOWAS not to use military force to reinstate deposed president Mohamed Bazoum.Plus, following the jailing of its leader Ousmane Sonko, Senegalese authorities dissolve the country’s largest opposition party Pastef.And we take you to the exhibition showcasing Nigerian artists in a part of South London famous for its connection to the diaspora.

Mauritius, Morocco and Madagascar are leading African countries in making inroads in the fight against smoking, which claims over 8 million lives annually around the world.What's behind the staying power of South Africa's second largest opposition party the EFF and its leader Julius Malema?And Nigeria makes it into the Women's World Cup knockout phase

West African regional body ECOWAS has threatened a military response to the coup in Niger, if deposed president Mohamed Bazoum is not reinstated within a week.Plus, we look at the impact of Kenya suspending the reopening of its border with Somalia after 11 years of closure, due to attacks by al-Shabab militants. And we look at the impact of South Africa adopting sign language as the country’s twelfth official language.

Nigerian doctors tell us why they called an indefinite strike, as we discuss some of the challenges facing the country’s healthcare sector.Plus, Mali relegates French, removing it as one of the country’s official languages, after the recent constitutional referendum.And we’re in Kenya, where it’s hoped electric boda boda taxis will save drivers from rising fuel costs while saving the environment.

Soldiers in the West African country of Niger have announced a coup on national TV. They said they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the nation's borders.From street child to MP- Meet the man who led the campaign to abolish the death penalty in Ghana.The journeys of church bells that herald Africa's new role as the beating heart of Christianity. Hannah Ajala follows the Marinelli bells to Nigeria where she interviews one of the country's most famous pastors, Dr Paul Enenche, about the rapid rise of Pentecostalism

Devastating wildfires along Algeria's coast and in neighbouring Tunisia have destroyed homes and killed at least 34 people. We focus on the efforts to bring them under control.We look ahead to the second Russia-Africa summit starting tomorrow in St Petersburg. How much leverage do African leaders have?Plus, why polyamory is a growing lifestyle choice among some young Africans.

We look at how illicit financial flows are costing African governments billions of dollars in lost revenue and affecting spending on vital public services.Plus, as the conflict in Sudan surpasses the 100-day mark, we examine international efforts to mediate an end to the fighting.And we take you to the new International African American Museum in South Carolina in the United States.

One hundred days since the start of Sudan's new war -harrowing testimonies of Sudanese refugees in neighbouring Chad. Meanwhile protection and learning in child friendly spaces.A leaked memo showing the Lagos State government in South West Nigeria had approved $77,000 for a mass burial of 103 victims of the historic 2020 anti-police brutality EndSars protest has sparked outrage in the country.Plus the significance of the Lobito Corridor rail link offering an easier means of export for landlocked countries

All eyes on the African teams as the Women’s World Cup gets underway. After years of being in the shadows, Morocco's national team will be making history in their first appearance. We will be in the Central African Republic to find out more about the upcoming constitutional referendum.And we take a look at the hurdles faced by women with disabilities when trying to access sexual and reproductive health services in Africa.

The challenge facing Africa's women and children is highlighted by a new United Nations report, which reveals that no country has achieved full gender parity or empowerment. With rice becoming a staple food in Africa, we learn about a new initiative by the South Korean government to help countries on the continent ramp up their own production. Nigeria's new national obsession is smashing world records, but can you set one for anything? We talk to Guinness World Records to find out which tasks are eligible.

Is there school in Kenya? Schools in the capital Nairobi and the coastal town of Mombasa have been shut indefinitely as three days of nationwide cost-of-living protests kicked off on Wednesday.Russia cancels grain deal. Russia's withdrawal from the deal allowing Ukraine to safely export grain through the Black Sea is a "stab on the back" for those in drought-hit countries, Kenya's government has said. We look at what this means for food security in Africa. And FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Morocco's women football team has defied all odds to earn a spot in this summer's tournament.

Twitter’s former employees in Ghana say the company has gone silent on all negotiations regarding payment of severance pay. In Africa, the biggest impact was in Ghana where the company opened a physical office just four days before the decision to fire staff. We speak to BBC business reporter in Lagos, Nkechi Ogbonna.In Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said that every party must be allowed to campaign. However, the high court has banned former cabinet minister and member of Zanu-PF, Saviour Kasukuwere from standing in the race due to ineligibility. He tells us why he finds the court ruling baffling.Plus, In the fight against AIDS, an impressive success story has emerged from five African countries—Botswana, Rwanda, Tanzania, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe. We hear from Dr. Jerome Kamwela, the Director for Monitoring and Evaluation at the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACADS) about this progress.