BBC Africa Today

January 1: birthday for the undocumented

Loading player...
January 1 isn’t just the start of a new year. For a significant number of Africans, it’s also the birthday written on official documents, often by default, not fact. This episode explores how missing birth records, colonial systems and migration shaped identity on paper, through voices from Somalia, France and Morocco.

We then turn to Mali, where new US travel restrictions have taken effect, affecting several African countries. We hear reactions from the streets of Bamako and unpack what the bans mean for diplomacy, mobility and power in the Sahel.

Presenter : Charles Gitonga
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Basma El Atti, Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
1 Jan 10AM English United Kingdom News

Other recent episodes

What's in store for Africa 2026 ?

As the year draws to a close, this episode looks ahead to some of the stories and events that could likely shape 2026. We ask which warning signs are already flashing, and what might still catch the world off guard. We also examine new research suggesting AI chatbots may carry…
31 Dec 2025 10AM 22 min

What happens after Israel recognises Somaliland as independent?

There were celebrations on the streets of breakaway region Somaliland after Israel became the first country to formally recognise it as an independent state. Leaders in the self-declared republic hailed the move as historic, saying it could open the door to wider international recognition after decades of diplomatic isolation. The…
30 Dec 2025 10AM 22 min

Inside Nigeria’s bombed border communities

BBC reporters travel under tight security to villages near the site of Christmas Day airstrikes in north-west Nigeria, targeting camps linked to Lakurawa, a militant group affiliated with the Islamic State. Locals describe life under threat, with farmers accusing militants of seizing livestock, enforcing levies and embedding themselves in border…
29 Dec 2025 10AM 22 min

"My Surrogacy Baby"

Well-known influencer and entrepreneur, Nancy Umeh, has spent the past year sharing her experience of welcoming her third child through surrogacy. While the practice remains legally unrecognised in many African countries - and is often surrounded by stigma - Nancy has spoken openly about her journey on social media. In…
26 Dec 2025 10AM 22 min

What's Christmas without a home?

Christmas is often imagined as a season of homecoming, but for millions of people around the world, that idea of home doesn’t exist. In this episode, we meet Gopolang, one of an estimated 300 million people experiencing homelessness globally. He lives on the streets of Johannesburg, surviving through plastic recycling…
25 Dec 2025 10AM 22 min
All episodes