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Artwork for Focus on Africa

Focus on Africa

BBC World Service
Nigeria
Kenya
South Africa
Sudan
Ebola
Senegal
Africa
Ghana
Ethiopia
Morocco
Somalia
Zambia
Motherhood
Human Rights
Uganda
United Nations
Mali
United States
Burkina Faso
Democratic Republic Of the Congo

Two essential stories to round off your working day. Explaining the news from Africa. Hosted by Nkechi Ogbonna.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1082Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for Focus on Africa

Latest Episodes

Democrats have won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, securing a congressional majority for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Six candidates of African origin won seats in Congress, including 29-year-old ... more

Over 50,000 Ethiopians have crossed over into Kenya, fleeing renewed fighting in Somali and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. Thousands of these are under temporary international protection status from the UNHCR as they undergo registration. We hear from a... more

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are underway in Senegal with nearly 3,000 young athletes from more than 200 countries gathered to compete across a wide range of sports including archery, artistic gymnastics, athletics, basketball and so much more.... more

The 2026 Ibrahim Index of African governance has found broad progress on economic opportunity and human development over the past decade, but also excessive decline in security, human rights and public participation at a time when Africa has suffered... more

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Recent Guests

Ricardo Fabiani
North Africa Project Director at the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
Episode: Algeria approves troops deployment to Niger
Kizito Mary Priska
Emergency medicine physician at Mbarara University of Science and Technology
Mbarara University of Science and Technology
Episode: Algeria approves troops deployment to Niger
Jimmy Atiara
Clinical associate with SID Global Health
SID Global Health
Episode: Algeria approves troops deployment to Niger
François Conradier
Lead political economist focusing on West Africa at Oxford Economics Africa
Oxford Economics Africa
Episode: Senegal unions strike over rising costs
Charles Wellington Morgan Jr
Climate justice advocate and environmental conservationist, and co-founder of For Beach Liberia
For Beach Liberia
Episode: Senegal unions strike over rising costs
Chebet Ronoh
Kenyan content creator who has spoken publicly about her struggles with alcohol and recovery.
Episode: The cost of alcohol addiction
Caroline Kagia
Addiction therapist who achieved sobriety after struggling with alcoholism for nearly two decades.
Episode: The cost of alcohol addiction
Andre Mulungu
Head of democracy and human rights at the Center for Democracy and Development
Center for Democracy and Development
Episode: Mozambique rehabilitates militants in peace effort
Benjamin Daniel
Nigerian dancer and choreographer known as Bendancer
Episode: Mozambique rehabilitates militants in peace effort

Host

Nkechi Ogbonna
Host of Focus on Africa (BBC World Service) with a focus on providing context and analysis for major African stories.

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 States2 years 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 States2 years ago
  • Great podcast - very informative.

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

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ella1234567891011121314151617
    Denmark3 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 Kingdom3 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 States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Readers appreciate the broad continental scope and impactful storytelling.
Listeners praise high-quality Africa-focused coverage with strong on-the-ground reporting.
Some listeners want more balanced coverage and deeper analysis on certain topics.
Feedback often highlights insightful guests and rigorous questioning from hosts.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#35
Saudi Arabia/News
Apple Podcasts
#94
South Africa/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The cost of alcohol addiction
Q: What would you say would be your source of strength?
Caroline Kagia advises people in recovery to identify their triggers, including people, places and things, avoid situations that could set them back, take recovery one day at a time and accept that some relationships may need to be cut off.
The cost of alcohol addiction
Q: What makes the person keep drinking and keep drinking?
Chebet Ronoh says her compulsive personality and shame contributed to continued drinking. She knew alcohol affected her badly, but hid the problem and kept drinking to avoid feeling different from her peers.
Algeria approves troops deployment to Niger
Q: Could this deployment become the beginning of a more active Algerian military role beyond its borders?
Fabiani says Algeria's willingness to take a more proactive security role is evident, and a successful mission could encourage further deployments, but the Niger mission will serve as a test.
Algeria approves troops deployment to Niger
Q: Why is Algeria stepping up now?
Fabiani says Algeria has reassessed its regional strategy after concluding that its limited role left a vacuum exploited by other actors. Deteriorating security, outside influence and an attempted coup in Niger helped prompt action.
Senegal unions strike over rising costs
Q: Why are coconut trees suitable for protecting coastal communities against erosion and flooding compared to other traditional sea defences?
Morgan says coconut trees' fibrous roots help hold soil, while the trees can sequester carbon and provide benefits to local communities. He describes nature-based measures as an accessible first line of adaptation where costly infrastructure is unavailable.

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?

This program consistently covers a broad swath of African affairs, weaving politics, economy, security, culture, and human interest into concise, story-driven episodes. Recent show notes highlight high-profile interviews with heads of state, policy debates around heritage and governance, and in-depth analyzes of regional issues such as maritime trade, energy security, and social development. A notable strength is the wide mix of guests—from presidents and ministers to researchers, activists, and industry experts—offering multiple perspectives on unfolding events. Listeners looking for well-sourced context, actionable insights for sponsorships, or opportunities to reach decision-makers across public, private, and NGO sectors will likely find... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Focus on Africa?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Focus on Africa:

1. The Horn
2. Global News Podcast
3. The Documentary Podcast
4. The Interview
5. The Inside Story Podcast

How many episodes of Focus on Africa are there?

Focus on Africa launched 19 years ago and published 1082 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?

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What guests have appeared on Focus on Africa?

Recent guests on Focus on Africa include:

1. Ricardo Fabiani
2. Kizito Mary Priska
3. Jimmy Atiara
4. François Conradier
5. Charles Wellington Morgan Jr
6. Chebet Ronoh
7. Caroline Kagia
8. Andre Mulungu

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