Focus on Africa

January 1 isn’t just the start of a new year. For a significant number of Africans, it’s also the birthday written on official documents, often by default, not fact. This episode explores how missing birth records, colonial systems and migration shaped identity on paper, through voices from Somalia, France and Morocco.

We then turn to Mali, where new US travel restrictions have taken effect, affecting several African countries. We h...

As the year draws to a close, this episode looks ahead to some of the stories and events that could likely shape 2026. We ask which warning signs are already flashing, and what might still catch the world off guard. We also examine new research suggesting AI chatbots may carry built-in bias against Africa, raising fresh questions about technology, power and representation.

Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producers: Bella Twine, Blessing...

There were celebrations on the streets of breakaway region Somaliland after Israel became the first country to formally recognise it as an independent state. Leaders in the self-declared republic hailed the move as historic, saying it could open the door to wider international recognition after decades of diplomatic isolation.

The announcement has also triggered a demonstration in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and condemnation from ...

BBC reporters travel under tight security to villages near the site of Christmas Day airstrikes in north-west Nigeria, targeting camps linked to Lakurawa, a militant group affiliated with the Islamic State. Locals describe life under threat, with farmers accusing militants of seizing livestock, enforcing levies and embedding themselves in border communities where state presence is minimal.

We also turn to AFCON 2025, where belief an...

Well-known influencer and entrepreneur, Nancy Umeh, has spent the past year sharing her experience of welcoming her third child through surrogacy.

While the practice remains legally unrecognised in many African countries - and is often surrounded by stigma - Nancy has spoken openly about her journey on social media.

In this episode of Focus on Africa: The Conversation, host Charles Gitonga spoke with Nancy Umeh about why she chose...

Christmas is often imagined as a season of homecoming, but for millions of people around the world, that idea of home doesn’t exist. In this episode, we meet Gopolang, one of an estimated 300 million people experiencing homelessness globally. He lives on the streets of Johannesburg, surviving through plastic recycling. Our reporter Mpho Lakaje spends time with him during the festive season, revealing what Christmas looks like when ...

Investigations continue following the death of 20-year-old Karen Lojore at Afrobeats artiste Asake's concert in Nairobi. Karen died following a crowd crush as fans tried to access the show. Concerns about safety and crowd control at large entertainment events have been raised. We hear from Karen’s aunt as the family prepares to lay her to rest, and from a Kenyan journalist who was inside the venue and describes the moments as the ...

Nigeria is facing renewed concern over mass kidnappings, after reports of another abduction involving dozens of people. This happened hours after 130 schoolchildren who were earlier abducted were returned to state authorities.

Also Kenya’s marathon great Eliud Kipchoge speaks to the BBC about discipline and what continues to drive him after years at the top of his sport. Often described as one of the greatest distance runners of al...

Nigeria is facing renewed concern over mass kidnappings, after reports of another abduction involving dozens of people. This happened hours after 130 schoolchildren who were earlier abducted were returned to state authorities.

Also Kenya’s marathon great Eliud Kipchoge speaks to the BBC about discipline, motivation and what continues to drive him after years at the top of his sport. Often described as one of the greatest distance r...

AFCON is back, and Morocco is hosting the tournament for the first time since 1988. The tournament itself began with big news on a change in calendar. We tell you about it and take you to the heart of the action, exploring the atmosphere, ticketing and visa changes, and the teams to watch.

You will also hear from Mahad Mohamud, an Uber driver deported from Minneapolis in the US to Somalia, who talks about militant threats to his lif...

Traveling within Africa on an African passport remains a challenge, according to the African Development Bank Group.

Their research shows that Africans can travel without a visa for only 28% of intra-African trips, while 51% of Africans need a visa before crossing borders within the continent.

In this episode, we speak to Ras Mubarak, a former Ghanaian MP, who is currently on an epic road trip across Africa. His mission? To highligh...

The county government of Kenya's capital Nairobi is joining the growing movement which recognizes menstrual pain as a legitimate reason for paid time off. Women working for the city authorities will now be allowed to take two days of menstrual leave per month.

Also, Namibia's first female President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah speaks to the BBC about her country's new oil discoveries, and the fight against gender-based violence and inequ...

Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group says it will retreat from the captured town of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Rebel leader Corneille Nangaa says his fighters will withdraw from Uvira at the request of the US. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said the capture of Uvira by rebel forces violated the Rwanda-DR Congo peace deal signed in Washington on 4th December.

And in Kenya, three siblings born deaf are ch...

Search efforts for missing people continue in Morocco's Safi province after weekend flash floods. This, even as the country is set to host the African Cup of Nations - AFCON football tournament in a few days. We hear from residents in Safi, and whether the disaster has dampened the mood ahead of the continental soccer event. Also, are solar-powered vehicles the solution to transportation shortages in Benin? We speak to an entrepr...

We look at how decades of diamond mining along South Africa's west coast have affected the environment and why the local Nama community says mining companies such as De Beers and state-owned Alexkor haven't done enough to rehabilitate their land.

Also, after Australia banned use of social media for people under the age of 16, we ask whether African countries should come up with such a ban.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella...

Weight-loss injections have become a major talking point, from Hollywood celebrities to TikTok influencers.

Originally developed to treat diabetes, these medications were later found to help people shed a lot of weight - a discovery that has rapidly expanded their global use. The World Health Organization has now released its first-ever guidance on prescribing them for obesity.

South Africa recently became the first country in Africa...

Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group says it has captured Uvira town near DR Congo's southeastern border with Burundi. This comes after US President Donald Trump brokered a peace deal between DR Congolese leader Felix Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in Washington DC last week. We look at what the renewed fighting means for DR Congo and the peace agreement.

Also, a housing deficit poses a threat to Africa's young people with ...

In Tanzania, Independence Day protests stall following stern government warnings but questions over the country's human rights record remain.   And also, tragedy in an attempt to strike gold. We hear how unregulated and risky gold mines are cutting short the lives of school-going teenagers in Sierra Leone.   Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Ayuba Iliya and Daniel Dadzie Technical Producer: Davis ...

The US is prioritising asylum applications from white farmers in South Africa where it says there’s a 'genocide' against them, despite the claims being widely discredited. A BBC Africa Eye team spoke to some white Afrikaner farmers and black farmers to gain insight about the situation.

Also, a conversation on vaginal wellness. We find out some of the most common products and practices that experts say could be harmful.

Presenter : N...