Africa Today
Africa news and analysis from the BBC's Focus on Africa. The Africa Today podcast contains the day's top stories from African news - available to download Monday to Friday from 1630 GMT.
How Arsenal built a loyal African fan base
After 22 years, Arsenal has won another English Premier League title. The team is one of the most popular European football clubs in Africa, and had been running a multi-million sponsorship deal with the government of Rwanda which concluded at the end of the 2025–26 season. We speak to fans…
Ebola: how does contact tracing work?
The Democratic Republic of Congo says the death toll linked to its latest Ebola outbreak has risen to 131, with 513 suspected contacts now being monitored across six health zones, as the government races to contain the spread of the Bundibugyo variant of the virus. And, with global fuel supply…
Who is in charge in Somalia?
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's four-year tenure came to an end on May 15th. However, a contentious constitutional amendment has extended it by a year. The country had failed to hold elections over controversy regarding electoral reforms. We hear how Somalia got here, and what is next for the country…
Is African fashion redefining global style?
Africa’s booming fashion industry took centre stage at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, where bold African designs dominated online conversations and red-carpet highlights. Host Nkechi Ogbonna speaks with Ghanaian fashion icon Nana Akua Addo and Nigerian designer Mohammed Abbas about the rise of African luxury fashion, the stories…
Did Trump tarrifs shape China-Africa trade deal?
A colorful Beijing, filled with grand celebration has welcomed President Trump who is on a two day visit to the Asian country. At the height of the trade war in 2025, the two countries had levied tariffs that crossed 100% on each other. A fragile truce followed but one of…
Could President Ramaphosa be impeached?
In South Africa, a speech from the country's President Cyril Ramaphosa firmly saying he will not resign, is trending. A Constitutional Court ruling last week found that parliament acted unconstitutionally when it voted against establishing an impeachment inquiry against Ramaphosa regarding the Phala Phala report in 2022, where thousands of…
What came out of the Africa–France summit?
Protestors have been arrested in Nairobi while objecting the Africa-France event and France-Africa relations, calling it rebranded "imperialism". Macron has announced investments worth $27bn (£20bn) in Africa in areas such as energy transition, digital and AI, the maritime economy and agriculture. The summit is aimed at broadening Paris's partnerships and…
Botswana President backs Africa-France relations
The president of Botswana Duma Boko in an exclusive conversation with the BBC has shared his view about the state of diplomatic ties between African countries and France, as the "Africa Forward" summit kicks off in Nairobi. And, around the world, about 100,000 seabirds are unintentionally killed each year by…
Introducing: World of Secrets Searching for Soldier Dad
We thought you might enjoy listening to the latest season of the BBC’s global investigations podcast World of Secrets: Searching for Soldier Dad. In this first episode of the season, we meet Cathy. Cathy is 10 years old when she starts asking questions. Why don’t I have a father? The…
'Why I can't stop bleaching my skin'
We speak to South African influencer and software developer Masheane Sefuthi, who has been on a journey to ‘whiten’ his skin; public health advocate Amira Adawe, who has been campaigning against these harmful products; and Kenyan media personality Kush Tracey, who has spoken about reversing skin bleaching after years of…
Is Ethiopia involved in Sudan war?
For a while now, Sudan's military government has been accusing Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates of working with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudan war that entered its fourth year in April. Both the UAE and Addis Ababa have refuted that claim. An investigation by the Reuters…
Hantavirus: what you should know
As medical experts work to contain the spread of hantavirus on board a stranded cruise ship in the Atlantic ocean, we hear from a representative of the World Health Organisation in Cape Verde. What's hantavirus, how does it spread and what happens to those on board the MV Hondius luxury…
What Eswatini risks by standing with Taiwan
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has finally visited Eswatini where his arrival had been expected since April. The state visit was cancelled last minute, and Taiwan blames China - saying Beijing applied pressure on African countries not to allow the plane carrying President Ching-te to use their airspace on the way…
Sudanese journalists win World Press Freedom Prize
As the world marks World Press Freedom Day, UNESCO has awarded the 2026 Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, recognising their courage in reporting amid threats to their safety and rights. Since Sudan’s war began in 2023, more than 30 journalists have been killed and…
'Is diaspora written on my forehead?'
For the longest time, Africa’s migration story has largely been one way: people leaving the continent in search of opportunity. But that story is beginning to shift. Africa’s young diaspora who were born and raised in Europe, the United States and Canada are increasingly choosing to move to countries their…
Uganda sovereignty bill: protection or policing?
Uganda’s new bill could jail citizens for up to 20 years for unauthorised foreign funding, citing concerns over foreign influence on national policy. This has raised questions about the future of civil society, independent organisations, and political freedoms in the country. We look at what the Sovereignty Bill could mean…
South Africans debate the migrant question
In South Africa, rising anti-immigration protests are once again putting xenophobia in the spotlight. We hear from two South Africans with opposing views to understand what’s fuelling the anger, from economic pressure to questions of identity and belonging. Then, we turn to sport, where Kenyan athlete Sebastian Sawe is making…
What’s driving the coordinated attacks across Mali?
We look at what’s behind the coordinated attacks in Mali by the Azawad Liberation Front and JNIM, which are raising fresh questions about how much control the military-led government really has and whether its alliance with Russia’s Africa Corps is making a meaningful difference in tackling insecurity. At the same…
Tanzania’s report on election violence sparks debate
Tanzania is under growing scrutiny after a government report revealed there were 518 deaths during the October 2025 elections. The report says 197 of those killed died from gunshot wounds. However, the report doesn’t say who was responsible for the deaths, recommending further investigations. We unpack what it means and…
Why more men are getting paternity tests
One testing centre in Nigeria told the Focus on Africa Podcast that the number of paternity tests it conducted rose by 28.8% in 2025 compared to the previous year. Focus on Africa Podcast host Nkechi Ogbonna spoke to Peter Ngumba, a lab technologist in Kenya who, through his work conducting…