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.
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…
'My divorce glow-up'
Divorce rates are steadily rising in many African countries. For example, government data shows the divorce rate in South Africa rose by 8.9% between 2023 and 2024. It increased by 16% in Zambia from 2022 and 2023, according to media reports. But despite the stigma that still surrounds divorce, attitudes…
African countries coping in fuel crisis
Countries across Africa have taken measures to cope with the fuel crisis triggered by the US and Israel's war in Iran. South Africa has reduced government levies on fuel while at the same time announcing a price increase. South Sudan has started to ration electricity in its capital, Juba, while…
South Africa protests after Nigerian 'king' installed
Earlier this week, activists were holding a peaceful march in the port city of KuGompo - formerly East London, but disorder erupted after a protester said he was attacked by a foreigner, prompting demonstrators to damage several vehicles and shops. The trouble came amid tension over the recent installation of…
Sexual violence part of 'everyday life' in Sudan
The medical charity Doctors without Borders - also known as MSF - says rape and other forms of sexual violence remains part of everyday life in parts of Sudan. The MSF's new report is the most comprehensive account yet of sexual violence in Sudan’s nearly three-year conflict. The fighting began…
What UN vote on slavery reparations means
The United Nations General Assembly - UNGA, last week, voted overwhelmingly for a resolution to designate the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity”. The US, Israel and Argentina voted against the proposal, while 123 nations voted in support of it. The UK and European Union members are…
Are Gen Z investing for vibes?
Where do you get your financial advice from? A report says Gen Z are nearly five times more likely to turn to social media than people in their 40s. On TikTok, the hashtag FinTok has over four billion views, with trends like girl math, loud budgeting and cash stuffing going…
Kenya downplays fuel shortage fears amid Iran war
Authorities in Kenya have assured the public that the country has enough fuel supply in the wake of global supply shortages caused by US-Israel Iran war. Kenya is among the African countries where buyers have been reporting a fuel shortage alongside South Africa, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo…
Africans in Minnesota challenge deportation threat
Have you ever wondered what life is like for Africans in the US who are threatened with deportation? Africans from Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Cameroon recently won a temporary reprieve in an ongoing legal battle with the Trump administration, which wants to terminate their Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS…
Controversy regarding Nigeria's Ozoro fertility festival
The Ozoro fertility festival, a long-standing tradition in Delta state, southern Nigeria, has come under scrutiny after several videos online appeared to show men chasing after and sexually harassing women. Local police told local news channels that no formal report of rape had been made in connection with the festival…
Tunisian activist jailed for eight years
A Tunis court has jailed 66-year-old Saadia Mosbah, who leads a migrant rights and anti-racism group called Mnemty, which is a civil society organisation addressing issues linked to racism in Tunisia. Her sentencing comes nearly two years after her arrest in May 2024. Tunisian authorities under President Kais Saied have…
Rise in BBLs among young women
The Brazilian Butt Lift surgery is one of the fastest growing cosmetic surgeries in the world, but it is also one of the most dangerous. The risk of death from having a BBL is at least 10 times higher than many other procedures – that’s according to the UK’s National…
Deadly blasts hit north-eastern Nigerian city
At least 23 people were killed and over 100 injured in multiple explosions in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria, a long-time insurgency hotspot. We examine the effect of the attack on traumatised residents and how they are coping. In response, the Nigerian Army says its troops killed three senior Islamic State West…
Senegal stripped, Morocco awarded title
We examine the continent’s reaction after Senegal’s 1‑0 AFCON final win from 18 January was overturned, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instead awarding Morocco a 3‑0 victory. CAF's disciplinary committee ruled that Senegal’s walk-off protest amounted to a forfeit following Morocco’s challenge to the initial decision. Senegal has…
Rise in White South Africans Returning Home
Thousands of white South Africans abroad, including in the US, are returning home despite President Donald Trump alleging that they’re being targeted, a claim the South African government denies. At least 12,000 have checked their citizenship status in preparation for a permanent return. A South African relocation agency has reported…
Africa Eye: Somali soldiers fighting IS
The BBC’s Africa Eye embeds with Puntland forces in Somalia’s northeastern Al-Miskaad mountains as they fight Islamic State (IS) militants. Nearly a decade after its defeat in the Middle East, IS has spread across Africa. Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland has become a key hub, with the UN estimating that…