Next Africa

We wanted to bring you one of our favorite episodes from the last few months. Each year, up to 12 million young Africans enter the workforce, but only about three million formal jobs are available. So many Nigerians have left Africa's most populous country in recent years, the Yoruba term "japa" -- or escape -- has become shorthand for young people desperate to put their skills to use. Could the west be doing more to help Africa ma...

A spectacular gold-market boom is spurring a push by African nations — where the ground is rich in the precious metal — to extract more revenue.  

On this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s precious metals reporter Jack Ryan and our Africa Mining and Metals correspondent William Clowes join Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what’s behind the rising gold price, how African countries are trying to capital...

South Africa and Nigeria are poised to exit a global financial watchdog’s “gray list” as soon as this month, marking a change in fortune for two of the continent’s biggest economies.

On this week’s Next Africa podcast, Bloomberg’s Africa Economics and Government Editor Monique Vanek and reporter Ben Bartenstein join Jennifer Zabasajja to explain how the countries ended up on the list in the first...

In parts of Africa, public opinion on China is more favorable than in many other regions, according to an Asia Society survey released this month. That enthusiasm contrasts sharply with Beijing’s standing in the West and some of Asia, where views have soured dramatically.

In this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s Asia columnist Karishma Vaswani and Africa Economist Yvonne Mhango join Tiwa Adebayo to discuss just wh...

Ethiopia has inaugurated Africa’s biggest hydroelectric dam, a colossal feat of engineering that could power homes and industries across East Africa. But the dam is also  deepening a years-long dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the flow of the Nile.

On this week’s episode of the Next Africa Podcast, Jennifer is joined by Bloomberg’s Ethiopia Reporter Fasika Tadesse and our Cairo based reporter Tarek El-Tablaw...

Botswana became one of the richest countries in Africa because it's the world's biggest producer of diamonds by value -- but with lab-grown gems soaring in popularity, the sparsely-populated desert nation is facing a social and economic existential crisis

President Boko has pledged to diversify the economy away from its over-reliance on a single resource, but the changes may have come too late.

On this week’s episode, Bloombe...

It’s the summer festival season, and while Europe and North America are seeing declining sales and smaller tours - Africa’s festival scene is on an upward trend.

Eswatini’s Bushfire Festival, and Tanzania’s Sauti Za Busara are growing, bringing jobs, tourism and support for Africa’s music industry.

On this week’s episode, Tiwa Adebayo speaks to Maputo based correspondent Tavares Cebola, who&rsquo...

Two South African oil workers who had been detained in Equatorial Guinea prisons for two years have spoken to Bloomberg about their ordeal.

Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter were arrested on drug-trafficking charges and detained in short order in February 2023, days after a South African court ordered the seizure of a yacht linked to Equatorial Guinean Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, known as Teodorin. 

In this spec...

A private island off the coast of Tanzania, where guests pay around $50,000 a night for an exclusive-use villa, catamaran and helicopter transfers within a protected marine reserve is the latest frontier in Africa’s booming luxury hospitality market.

Bloomberg’s Prinesha Naidoo joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what's behind the boom in ultra luxury tourism, who’s benefiting and whether the economic boost is sus...

Opposition parties are protesting in Abidjan after court rulings blocked key opposition figures from standing in October’s presidential election. The decisions paved the way for 83 year-old President Alassane Ouattara to seek a controversial fourth term.

On this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s Abidjan-based reporter Kamailoudini Tagba joins Jennifer Zabasajja and talks about what’s behind the process, how Presid...

Somaliland, which proclaimed independence from Somalia in 1991, is willing to offer the US a military base at the entrance to the Red Sea and critical-minerals deals in its quest for international recognition as a sovereign state.

On this week’s episode - Bloomberg’s Simon Marks joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain the history behind Somaliland and its independence claim, and whether this new plan to try and get US recog...

African development banks are locked in a dispute with African nations like Ghana and Zambia over deals to restructure their debts.  As the countries finalize debt relief agreements with foreign lenders under the G20’s Common Framework, banks like Afreximbank and TDB are pushing back against deals forcing them to take losses saying it puts the future of African investment at risk. 

Bloomberg Reporter Matthew Hill jo...

G20 finance ministers met in Zimbali in South Africa this week, but even with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent skipping the event - Donald Trump's trade policy dominated discussions at the expense of President Ramphosa’s agenda.

In this episode Jennifer Zabasajja speaks to South Africa Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago about the impact of the global trade war, and Bloomberg Economist Yvonne Mhango joins Jennifer to ex...

Demand for coffee is growing globally - but despite much of it being grown on the continent, very little is roasted locally to be sold and drunk there. West African Entrepreneur Hadi Beydoun wants to change that. 

In this week’s special episode of the Next Africa Podcast, Jennifer Zabasajja heads to Abidjan in the Ivory Coast to meet Hadi, the founder of Café Continent, to find out how he’s planning to bring...

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have agreed to bring an end to conflict in eastern Congo, where millions of people have died and multitudes have been displaced over the past three decades. But fighting continues and scores of armed groups continue to control parts of the region.

In this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s Congo reporter Michael Kavanagh joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain how this deal came about no...

Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, has told Bloomberg that US cuts to foreign aid have left the global fight against HIV in crisis. 

Bloomberg healthcare reporter Janice Kew joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what the reality is on the ground for HIV treatment in Africa, a continent that is home to 75% of all people living with the virus, and where alternativ...

A year since deadly protests against the Kenyan government saw more than 60 people killed, Kenyans are again taking to the streets to protest police brutality. 

These protests, triggered by the death of a kenyan activist in police custody, come as the IMF arrive in the country to assess Kenya's attempts to tackle corruption.

On this week’s episode East Africa Bureau Chief Helen Nyambura joins Jennifer Zabasajja t...

US President Donald Trump is proposing a 3.5% tax on remittances by non-citizens as part of the Republican tax bill currently working through the Senate.  

On today’s episode of the Next Africa podcast we look at why this proposal could have major repercussions for African economies, particularly Nigeria, one of the world’s biggest recipients of remittances. 

Jennifer Zabasajja is joined by  Dr Lydiah Kem...

The return of the Unity Cup after 21 years electrified London’s Brentford Stadium, drawing record crowds and reigniting diasporan pride. With planning already underway for the 2026 edition, the tournament is more than just a celebration of African football. It’s emerging as a catalyst for global connection and economic opportunity.

This week, host Tiw...