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.
'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…
Madagascar: Gen Z arrests fuel doubts over military rule
In Madagascar, the arrest of Gen Z protesters is fuelling growing doubts about the military leadership that emerged after the 2025 uprising, as young activists question whether anything has truly changed. Elsewhere on the continent, a new report reveals a deepening economic squeeze: African countries are now paying nearly twice…
What does the Morocco–Nigeria gas pipeline involve?
A major gas pipeline is being planned from Nigeria to Morocco, running along the Atlantic coast through countries including Ghana and Senegal, before potentially linking up to Europe. The $25 billion project is aimed at boosting energy access across West Africa, but it is still awaiting a final green light,…
Controversy over US deportees in DR Congo
More than a dozen deportees from the US, reportedly from South America, have arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the beginning of April, the DRC government announced a deal with the US under which Kinshasa would accept individuals known as “third-country” deportees. The arrival of these deportees…
Kenyan children in search for British soldier dads
BBC Africa Eye follows Kenyans at the centre of a groundbreaking legal battle to track down their British soldier fathers using novel DNA methods. Nanyuki, Kenya, is home to one of Britain’s largest overseas military training areas, where thousands of British troops train each year. Over the years, nearly 100…
ADHD and me
Across the globe, diagnoses of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are on the rise, including in Africa. An estimated 7% of children and adolescents on the continent are living with the condition, and doctors in Nigeria and Kenya told the BBC that they have seen a notable increase in diagnoses in…
Electric vehicles - fixing Africa's fuel crisis?
Kenya is the latest African country to increase fuel prices citing the US-Israel war with Iran. While announcing one of the steepest pump price increments in recent times, the government reduced Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel products from 16% to 8%, as the country's political opposition threatens street demonstrations…
Sudan war three years on
It's three years today, April 15, since the war in Sudan erupted triggered by a power struggle between the army and paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces - RSF. The fighting has led to a partitioning of the country and created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The number of women and…
Charmain and the Ghanaian prophet
A BBC Disclosure investigation has uncovered significant questions about what happened at the hotel where Charmain Spiers died. In 2015, Charmain's body was discovered in a hotel room, and her death was determined as “heroin poisoning”. Her husband and self-proclaimed prophet, Eric Adusah was seen at the hotel on the…
Pope Leo XIV begins Africa visit
Pope Leo XIV has started his 11-day visit of four African countries. The Pontiff arrived in Algeria on Monday, where he called for peace, forgiveness and justice at the Martyrs monument in the capital, Algiers. The Pope is expected to visit Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. Pope Leo XIV wants…
Sudan war: 'Music saved my life'
15 April marks three years since the Sudan war began, as the vicious power struggle between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces continues. More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict across the country, and about 12 million have fled their homes in what the United Nations…
Benin to elect new president
Voters in Benin will head to the elections on April 12 to choose a new president. The winner of the vote will take over from the current leader, Patrice Talon - who is stepping down after two terms and a decade in power. The two candidates in the poll are…
US-Iran ceasefire and Africa
The US and Iran have announced a two week ceasefire which will see the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz - one of the largest transit routes for oil. The conflict in the Middle East has led to a shortage of fuel in many African countries, and cut off key…
Artemis II: Africa on the space frontier
Astronauts aboard the Artemis II spacecraft have begun a four-day journey back towards the earth after completing a flyby of the far side of the moon. The mission began on April 1, when the rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in the United States, and has raised significant…
Life on the Autism Spectrum
In Malawi where resources are scarce and support is limited, the challenges some parents face when caring for their children with autism are extreme. BBC Africa Eye’s Florence Phiri shares her experience documenting the lives of several parents and children in Malawi living with autism. And, DR Congo's national football…