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Artwork for Focus on Africa

Focus on Africa

BBC World Service
Nigeria
South Africa
Kenya
Sudan
Ethiopia
Africa
Ghana
Senegal
United States
Madagascar
Human Rights
Morocco
Mali
Democratic Republic Of Congo
Somalia
Tanzania
Social Media
United Nations
Corruption
Africa Cup Of Nations

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes987Founded19 years ago
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News

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Artwork for Focus on Africa

Latest Episodes

The United Nations has warned that nearly three million children could contract HIV by 2040, with more than half at risk of dying from AIDS-related illnesses if prevention and treatment efforts are not significantly expanded. The agency says the over... more

Police in South Africa have assured the safety of migrants and local businesses as civic organisations including the March and March anti-migrant group intensify calls for foreigners to leave. This precedes heightened tensions towards a June 30 deadl... more

Niger has set strict conditions for reopening its border with Benin closed since the July 2023 military takeover. Among them are a new defence agreement, greater transparency over foreign military activities near the border, and the creation of a joi... more

The UK's Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister and Labour leader after weeks of mounting pressure over political missteps, a slowing economy and falling support for the governing party. We examine what his departure could mean for UK-Africa rel... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Onyenechi Ezeanui
Women's rights advocate and content creator from Helsinki
Independent activist
Episode: Is the internet dividing men and women?
Basma El Atti
Researcher studying the Femusphere
Researcher
Episode: Is the internet dividing men and women?
Jean Sseninder
Former Ugandan international women's footballer
(not explicitly stated)
Episode: Africa's World Cup dream: controversy and opportunity
Jonathan Mensah
Former Ghana International footballer
(not explicitly stated)
Episode: Africa's World Cup dream: controversy and opportunity
David Monkley
East Zonal Director for World Vision in the DRC
World Vision
Episode: DRC: How armed conflict is affecting Ebola response
Frances Chinaza Abba
AI governance and policy expert
Independent/Industry expert
Episode: DRC: How armed conflict is affecting Ebola response
Sabin Nkusi
Lead for the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence
Christian Development Charity, TFOND
Episode: Nigeria: Freed from Boko Haram
Sadiq Shehu
Retired group captain from the Nigerian Air Force and security analyst
Nigerian Air Force (retired); security analyst
Episode: Nigeria: Freed from Boko Haram
Andrei Sibir
Foreign affairs minister (as quoted in episode)
Kenya (as cited in interview content)
Episode: African prisoners of war in Ukraine

Host

Charles Gitonga
Presenter/Host of Focus on Africa with BBC World Service affiliations; experienced in regional politics and African affairs

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 Statesa year 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 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.

Africa-focused coverage that dives into policy and people behind the headlines.
Some listeners miss the older, more concise news format and want more regular global-Africa coverage.
Audience appreciates hard questions and rigorous guests but some reviewers want more balance and depth on certain topics.
Interviews push for accountability and clear explanations, not just surface-level reporting.
Listener feedback highlights a strong, reliable host team and high-quality expert guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#58
South Africa/News
Apple Podcasts
#73
United Arab Emirates/News
Apple Podcasts
#130
Belgium/News
Apple Podcasts
#239
Taiwan/News
Apple Podcasts
#248
Japan/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Africa's World Cup dream: controversy and opportunity
Q: What makes this World Cup different for African teams this time around?
There are more slots for Africa, stronger squads, and a belief that the continent's teams, led by nations like Morocco, Senegal, and Ghana, can go further than before, building on recent breakthroughs.
South Africa: what realities face those fleeing xenophobia?
Q: How has Cobhams Asuquo's upbringing and career intersected with disability and opportunity in Africa?
Raised in a challenging environment, he taught himself piano, overcame perceptions about disability, and leveraged music to achieve global recognition while supporting broader African narratives.
South Africa: what realities face those fleeing xenophobia?
Q: What challenges did Victor Togodze face in South Africa and on returning to Ghana?
He faced documentation and work-permit barriers, found work through a local club, secured asylum briefly, and now hopes for job opportunities and stability back home.
South Africa: what realities face those fleeing xenophobia?
Q: What prompted the mass repatriations and how are different governments responding?
African governments issued statements to repatriate their citizens and ensure safety as violence in South Africa escalated, signaling coordination with home countries and international bodies.
Nigeria: Freed from Boko Haram
Q: Right. Now, could current-day intelligence and technology be used to locate the abductees from the videos and social media, given geolocation and telecom data?
Geolocation and telecom data can be used to narrow down locations, but Africa's overall technology level means practical, widespread implementation remains challenging; however, capacity should be developed.

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?

A concise, Africa-centered current affairs program that rounds up essential topics with context from regional experts. Episodes frequently blend political developments, economics (notably energy and trade), public health, and culture, all through an African lens. Noteworthy traits include a strong regional focus, high-caliber guest lineups, and a track record of hard-hitting interviews that probe policy, governance, and social issues while foregrounding local perspectives. Listeners likely include professionals seeking to understand Africa's big stories quickly, policymakers, and industry players looking for nuanced, on-the-ground insights.

Where can I find podcast stats for Focus on Africa?

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How many listeners does Focus on Africa get?

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What are the audience demographics for Focus on Africa?

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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 China in Africa Podcast
2. Global News Podcast
3. The Interview
4. The Documentary Podcast
5. Newshour

How many episodes of Focus on Africa are there?

Focus on Africa launched 19 years ago and published 987 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.

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What guests have appeared on Focus on Africa?

Recent guests on Focus on Africa include:

1. Onyenechi Ezeanui
2. Basma El Atti
3. Jean Sseninder
4. Jonathan Mensah
5. David Monkley
6. Frances Chinaza Abba
7. Sabin Nkusi
8. Sadiq Shehu

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.

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