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BBC World Service

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.

Focus on Africa

African governments are weighing in after Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro was arrested and flown to New York following a US operation in Caracas. Ghana and South Africa have criticised the move, while the African Union says it is watching events with great concern. We also hear how ordinary people in Accra, Ghana, view the unfolding crisis.

Plus, we then turn to AFCON in Morocco, where excitement on the pitch contrasts with frustration off it. Many fans say high flight costs and poor travel connectivity are making it difficult to follow their teams in person.

Presenter: Charles Gitonga
Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Ayuba Iliya, Keikantse Shumba, 
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Africa reacts to Maduro’s capture

New tax laws in Nigeria are drawing criticism just days after taking effect, with many citizens worried about rising costs, shrinking incomes and pressure on small businesses. The government insists the reforms are designed to make the system fairer and more efficient, but scepticism remains over how the money will be used. We unpack what the new laws actually change and hear from officials defending the policy.

We also turn to health, as experts warn that stress-induced overeating is becoming a major problem across Africa, driven by economic pressure, urban life and uncertainty.

Presenter: Charles Gitonga
Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Makuochi Okafor, Keikantse Shumba, Priya Sippy, Bella Twine 
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Nigeria’s new taxes spark public backlash

How many hours a day do you spend on your smartphone? 

Smartphones have become essential to daily life - but concerns about overuse are growing. Research has linked smartphone addiction to depression, anxiety, and loneliness. 

Focus on Africa host, Nkechi Ogbonna, spoke to 27-year-old Dion Rapakgadi from Johannesburg about his past struggles with phone addiction, and to Kenyan musician Nviiri the Storyteller, who recently swapped his smartphone for a basic “dumb phone.” 

We also hear from Dr Ethel Obeng-Treve, a Clinical Psychologist from Ghana, who shares insights on how to have a healthier relationship with your smartphone. 

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Carolyne Kiambo and Fana Weldye
Senior Producer: Priya Sippy
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Are you addicted to your smartphone?

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

January 1: birthday for the undocumented

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 built-in bias against Africa, raising fresh questions about technology, power and representation.

Presenter : Charles Gitonga
Producers: Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

What's in store for Africa 2026 ?

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 announcement has also triggered a demonstration in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and condemnation from regional bodies including the African Union and the Arab League, who warn it could destabilise the region. 

Also in the episode: Sudan’s national football team competes in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) despite a devastating war at home.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

What happens after Israel recognises Somaliland as independent?

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 communities where state presence is minimal.

We also turn to AFCON 2025, where belief and football often collide. From pre-match rituals to deeply rooted ideas about luck and destiny, we explore how superstition continues to shape African football, with players reflecting on why these practices persist at the continent’s biggest tournaments.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Chiamaka Dike, Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Inside Nigeria’s bombed border communities

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 this episode of Focus on Africa: The Conversation, host Charles Gitonga spoke with Nancy Umeh about why she chose surrogacy and how the journey has been for her. 

We also heard from family lawyer, Eliud Ngugi on what laws are needed in Africa to protect both the surrogate and the commissioning parents.

Presenter : Charles Gitonga
Producers: Carolyne Kiambo, Ly Truong and Makouchi Okafor
Senior Producer: Priya Sippy
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

"My Surrogacy Baby"

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. Our reporter Mpho Lakaje spends time with him during the festive season, revealing what Christmas looks like when daily survival comes first.

The episode also looks at how Christmas traditions are changing in Nigeria. Many people remember a time of open doors and shared food, but rising costs and urban life have pushed some traditional dishes off the table. At a food festival in Lagos, chefs and organisers are working to revive those meals and the memories attached to them.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Ayuba Iliya, Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

What's Christmas without a home?

Investigations continue following the death of 20-year-old Karen Lojore at Afrobeats artiste Asake's concert in Nairobi. Karen died following a crowd crush as fans tried to access the show. Concerns about safety and crowd control at large entertainment events have been raised. We hear from Karen’s aunt as the family prepares to lay her to rest, and from a Kenyan journalist who was inside the venue and describes the moments as the situation escalated.

Then, we turn to West Africa’s end-of-year cultural phenomenon, Detty December. In Lagos and Accra, December is now synonymous with packed concerts and booming nightlife. But as the season grows more expensive, some locals are questioning who it’s really for. 

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Chiamaka Dike, Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

January 1: birthday for the undocumented

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