Rephonic
Artwork for Focus on Africa

Focus on Africa

BBC World Service
Nigeria
Food Prices
Libya
Muammar Gaddafi
Kenya
Russia
Economic Policy
Tripoli
Inflation
Donkey Skin Trade
Transport Costs
Debt
Labor Protests
Turkey
Khalifa Haftar
Subsidies
Agricultural Produce
South Africa
Egypt
Macky Sall

Two essential stories to round off your working day. Explaining the big topics and news from Africa, the people behind them, plus an African perspective on global stories. Hosted by Nkechi Ogbonna. Five days a week, ready by late afternoon, Monday to Friday.

PublishesDailyEpisodes859Founded18 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Focus on Africa

Latest Episodes

How many hours a day do you spend on your smartphone?

Smartphones have become essential to daily life - but concerns about overuse are growing. Research has linked smartphone addiction to depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Focus on Africa host,... more

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 shap... more

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 sugge... more

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 ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Documentary Podcast
The Documentary PodcastBBC World Service
The Interview
The InterviewBBC World Service
Global News Podcast
Global News PodcastBBC World Service
Newshour
NewshourBBC World Service
World Business Report
World Business ReportBBC World Service

Recent Guests

Dion Rapakgadi
A 27-year-old trainee lawyer from Johannesburg, South Africa, who struggled with smartphone addiction.
Episode: Are you addicted to your smartphone?
Nviiri the Storyteller
A musician from Kenya who swapped his smartphone for a dumb phone to combat addiction.
Episode: Are you addicted to your smartphone?
Anissa Rami
A Moroccan French journalist investigating the history of her father's birth date.
Episode: January 1: birthday for the undocumented
Dr. Olayinka Ajala
Politics and governance analyst in West Africa and the Sahel region.
Episode: January 1: birthday for the undocumented
Moki Makura
Executive Director of Africa No Filter
Episode: What's in store for Africa 2026 ?
Sarah Zuiten
Journalist based in Rabat, Morocco
Episode: What's in store for Africa 2026 ?
Babakar Faye
BBC journalist following African football stories
BBC
Episode: Inside Nigeria’s bombed border communities
Confidence Mark Harry
Senior Security Analyst at SBM Intelligence in Nigeria
SBM Intelligence
Episode: Inside Nigeria’s bombed border communities
Mpho Lakaje
A colleague and journalist covering stories in Johannesburg.
Episode: What's Christmas without a home?

Hosts

Nkechi Ogbonna
Host of Focus on Africa, known for her engaging interviews and insightful discussions about African stories and perspectives.
Nyasha Michelle
Host known for her captivating storytelling and expert commentary on critical issues facing Africa.
Audrey Brown
Host and journalist with a strong background in covering African affairs, providing context and depth to discussions.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • Filos in a lot of news gaps

    Good coverage, usually by Africans, of a continent that tends to be covered very superficially in Western media

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bilas Peles
    United States9 months ago
  • Great story on swimming

    Compliments of the season from Houston, Texas! Thank you for the story on swimming and for your transparency about your own experience with drowning. I learned to swim at the age of 40 and it was life changing. I pray that you will meet your goal to learn to swim this year. You can do it! And we’re cheering you on.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CFWyatt
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great podcast - very informative.

    I really enjoy listening to this podcast. Learning a lot!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ella1234567891011121314151617
    Denmark2 years ago
  • Reparations

    Generally good show but a stupid recent guest, a black “British” woman asking for reparations, she completely dodged the fact that the Africans themselves enslaved and sold other Africans to the Europeans, we already paid you for the slaves when you sold them to us we’re not paying you again so stop being greedy, it’s not our fault you squandered the wealth, also she had nothing good to say about the UK (she could have mentioned the fact we eradicated slavery, an act which many African people ha... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    N0H1570ry
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Bring back Africa Today

    I used to listen daily to Africa Today….it was so informative and I learnt so much about the whole continent. This current format is a real disappointment. It’s a longer version of Africa Daily with Alan Kasujja, and really, he can’t be beat. Go back to Africa Today, and I will listen daily, instead of once in a long while.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    lekkersoosafirecracker
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the informative and insightful coverage of African affairs, emphasizing the representation of diverse stories.
A segment of the audience expresses concern over changing formats and the perceived loss of earlier coverage styles, showing a longing for continuity.
Overall, feedback reflects a strong appreciation for the hosts' efforts to present nuanced discussions surrounding critical issues affecting the continent.
Many enjoy the perspectives provided by African voices that challenge mainstream narratives often prevalent in Western media.
Some feedback indicates desires for deeper analysis and coverage of less-represented regions within Africa, highlighting listeners' engagement with the material.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#250
Finland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#45
Finland/News
Apple Podcasts
#56
South Africa/News
Apple Podcasts
#95
Sweden/News
Apple Podcasts
#165
Denmark/News
Apple Podcasts
#221
Belgium/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What's in store for Africa 2026 ?
Q: What policies would make it better for young people on the continent?
Governments need to address economic conditions, create job opportunities, and support young entrepreneurs to improve life for the youth.
What's in store for Africa 2026 ?
Q: What do you think will define the year, besides the politics of it, the economics of it?
Factors such as music events like AFKON and the growth of the digital economy and AI will shape the year for young people.
January 1: birthday for the undocumented
Q: What is the motivation behind the initiative to recognize January 1st in France?
The initiative aims to honor the efforts of post-war migrant workers and recognize their contributions to the country.
January 1: birthday for the undocumented
Q: Why do many people from rural parts of Africa choose January 1st as their official birthday?
Many individuals lack documentation for their actual birth dates, so January 1st becomes an easy option when they need official records.
Are you addicted to your smartphone?
Q: How did you get off the use of smartphones?
Nviiri discussed changing his everyday habits, reducing social media usage, and adopting a dumb phone to limit distractions and stay connected more meaningfully.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Focus on Africa

What is Focus on Africa about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content focuses on significant stories from Africa, highlighting crucial issues, events, and trends affecting the continent. Episodes often feature in-depth discussions on topics such as political developments, social justice issues, environmental concerns, and human rights. The podcast provides personal accounts from affected individuals and expert commentary, offering listeners a well-rounded perspective on complex narratives. A distinctive feature is the emphasis on an African viewpoint, aiming to inform and engage audiences with diverse stories that reflect the continent's realities. This differentiates it from mainstream narratives often found in Western media, making it appealing for those interested in authentic African journalism an... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Focus on Africa?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Focus on Africa. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Focus on Africa and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Focus on Africa get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Focus on Africa, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Focus on Africa?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Focus on Africa, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Focus on Africa have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Focus on Africa has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Focus on Africa?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Focus on Africa:

1. The Documentary Podcast
2. The Interview
3. Global News Podcast
4. Newshour
5. World Business Report

How many episodes of Focus on Africa are there?

Focus on Africa launched 18 years ago and published 859 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Focus on Africa?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Focus on Africa?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Focus on Africa from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Focus on Africa?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Focus on Africa. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Focus on Africa?

Recent guests on Focus on Africa include:

1. Dion Rapakgadi
2. Nviiri the Storyteller
3. Anissa Rami
4. Dr. Olayinka Ajala
5. Moki Makura
6. Sarah Zuiten
7. Babakar Faye
8. Confidence Mark Harry

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days