Focus on Africa

The Ozoro fertility festival, a long-standing tradition in Delta state, southern Nigeria, has come under scrutiny after several videos online appeared to show men chasing after and sexually harassing women. Local police told local news channels that no formal report of rape had been made in connection with the festival. Witnesses, gender activists and local residents say that women were warned not to go out during the festival, and...

A Tunis court has jailed 66-year-old Saadia Mosbah, who leads a migrant rights and anti-racism group called Mnemty, which is a civil society organisation addressing issues linked to racism in Tunisia. Her sentencing comes nearly two years after her arrest in May 2024. Tunisian authorities under President Kais Saied have intensified a crackdown on dissent with courts upholding convictions against activists, which critics describe as...

The Brazilian Butt Lift surgery is one of the fastest growing cosmetic surgeries in the world, but it is also one of the most dangerous. The risk of death from having a BBL is at least 10 times higher than many other procedures – that’s according to the UK’s National Health Service. 

In several countries in Africa, the demand for BBLs is on the rise, but there are still challenges around regulation. Just recently in Lagos, a young w...

At least 23 people were killed and over 100 injured in multiple explosions in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria, a long-time insurgency hotspot. We examine the effect of the attack on traumatised residents and how they are coping. In response, the Nigerian Army says its troops killed three senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders and more than 80 other militants in a major operation in the north-east.

Meanwhile, t...

We examine the continent’s reaction after Senegal’s 1‑0 AFCON final win from 18 January was overturned, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instead awarding Morocco a 3‑0 victory. CAF's disciplinary committee ruled that Senegal’s walk-off protest amounted to a forfeit following Morocco’s challenge to the initial decision. Senegal has now appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

And Sudan’s civil war is now approa...

Thousands of white South Africans abroad, including in the US, are returning home despite President Donald Trump alleging that they’re being targeted, a claim the South African government denies. At least 12,000 have checked their citizenship status in preparation for a permanent return. A South African relocation agency has reported a 70% surge in inquiries over the past six months. We explore what’s driving this trend.

Meanwhile, ...

The BBC’s Africa Eye embeds with Puntland forces in Somalia’s northeastern Al-Miskaad mountains as they fight Islamic State (IS) militants. Nearly a decade after its defeat in the Middle East, IS has spread across Africa. Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland has become a key hub, with the UN estimating that IS in Somalia was comprised of up to 800 fighters last year. Over half of these militants were believed to be foreign ...

The Israeli military has carried out waves of airstrikes across Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, after Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah launched about 200 rockets into northern Israel. At least 687 people, including 98 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since then and 800,000 others have been displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.

Caught up in this conflict are tens of thousands of African domesti...

During a parliamentary session, legislators in Senegal voted on a bill that was introduced last month by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, doubling the penalty for same sex relationships that are already a crime in the West African country. People convicted under the new law will now serve prison sentences of between 5 and 10 years and face fines of up to 17,600 USD.

We also look at why snakebite antivenom is so expensive in many Africa...

In this episode, we explore two important stories from Africa. First, Algeria’s parliament has passed a revised law criminalising French colonial rule. The amendments remove earlier demands for an official apology and reparations after the Senate requested the changes. The law still includes demands for compensation for victims of French nuclear tests in Algeria.

We then turn to Tourette syndrome, a neurological condition causing in...

In this episode, we look at the impact of the ongoing US–Israel war with Iran on neighbouring Middle Eastern countries. Africans in the region are caught in the crossfire, some have been evacuated by their governments, while others remain stranded. We speak to a young Ghanaian still in Bahrain and a Ugandan who has just returned home.

We also explore Lesotho’s annual three-day Moshoeshoe Walk, where thousands retrace King Moshoeshoe...

In recognition of International Women’s Month, we speak to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization. We discuss women representation in leadership, the impact of the latest Middle East conflict on African economies and the shifting balance of global trade and Africa’s place in it.

And, we also look at LGBTQ rights on the continent. In much of Africa, homosexuality remains crimina...

As the US and Israel continue to strike Iran and Lebanon, and Iran targets Tel Aviv and US assets across the Gulf, we look at how Iran's African community has been affected. We hear from Priscilla Kounkou-Hoveyda, a film maker and the founder of the Collective for Black Iranians, which brings together the voices of Black and Afro-Iranians. Priscilla grew up in Iran to an Iranian mother and Congolese father, she speaks to us from ...

As the US-Israel war with Iran escalates, its global effects are becoming increasingly apparent, particularly in the petroleum products supply chain. The situation follows the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route between Iran and Oman that handles the transit of more than 20 million barrels of crude oil daily. We take a closer look at how African countries are responding and how the closure of the Strait of Hormu...

On this episode, we examine the future of the US-brokered peace deal after Washington sanctioned Rwanda’s defence forces and senior military officials over the eastern DR Congo conflict. Kigali calls the move is unfair and accuses the DRC of failing to meet its own commitments. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has opened its first unmanned police station in Addis Ababa, letting citizens report crimes digitally. The pilot is part of Prime Minist...

At least 24 African countries have signed controversial bilateral health agreements with the United States under Donald Trump’s new aid strategy, while others, including Zimbabwe, have rejected it. Supporters say it gives governments more control over their health systems, but critics question accountability, data protection and continued US influence. We unpack what the deal means and why it’s dividing opinion across the continent...

As the US-Israel conflict with Iran intensifies, concerns grow over its effects on Africa, including the security and economic impacts. Thousands of Africans working or traveling in Gulf cities like Dubai, UAE, and Doha, Qatar, are already facing disruptions, with some reportedly stranded at airports. Meanwhile, several African countries have called for urgent de-escalation to prevent the crisis from worsening.

At the same time, Gha...

Around the world, one in six people will experience infertility in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organisation. In Africa, there is still a lot of stigma that surrounds infertility, but now, more people are starting to speak out about their struggles on social media.

Focus on Africa podcast host, Nkechi Ogbonna, sat down for a chat with Matshepo Segole, from Johannesburg, South Africa who has built a community on Tik...

The president of Israel Isaac Herzog has just concluded an official state visit in Ethiopia. We look at the historic ties between the two countries, and what the visit means for the horn of Africa region. Also, a report by the Alliance for Malaria Prevention warns that progress made in containing the disease could be stalling due to global aid funding cuts. The report predicts that a reduction of financing by 30 percent could see...