Focus on Africa

BBC reporter Madina Maishanu takes us inside the cells where 37 artisanal miners died last week. Nigeria’s Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo says a panel investigating the deaths in Niger State will examine the circumstances of their arrest, detention and whether they were tortured or denied medical care.
And, from underground beats to international stages, Morocco’s urban music is going global. We explore the significance of Casablanca’s L’Boulevard festival.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Blessing Aderogba and Bella Twine
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

For months now, power blackouts have been disrupting life and business for thousands of people in Gambia. The crisis has recently sparked protests in the capital Banjul and surrounding areas and at least 20 people have been arrested. The country's main power provider, NAWEC, says the outage is the result of rising demand, limits on electricity imports, and technical challenges. As public frustration grows, President Adama Barrow who is seeking a controversial third term in the December elections, has pledged improvements in coming months. We hear from those affected.
And a new study suggests most women in five African countries prefer cash over digital payment methods.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Ayuba Iliya and Bella Twine
Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

In January 2027, Nigeria will be heading to the polls. But there’s one thing still largely missing from the ballot, women. According to Nigerian civil society organisation, policy and legal advocacy centre, Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of women’s political representation in the world.
In fact, women make up less than 5% of members of parliament. And currently only 54 women hold positions across 990 seats in State Houses of Assembly, and 15 states have no female legislators at all.
Focus on Africa host, Nkechi Ogbonna, spoke to Ufuoma Nnamdi-Udeh, the Executive Director of Enough is Enough, a civic society organisation and Zainab Buba Galadima, a politician based in Abuja.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Fana Negash, Bella Twine and Carolyne Jotham
Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru
Senior Producer: Priyanka Sippy and Blessing Aderogba
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

South Africa has been shaken by a string of unexplained deaths, with nine women found dead in and around Kempton Park, northeast of Johannesburg, over the past two months. South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence, with women being killed at five times the global average, according to UN Women. The killings have reignited concerns about women's safety and intensified pressure on police to find answers. President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that authorities will use every available resource to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
And we hear from African music star Fally Ipupa on representing the Democratic Republic of Congo on the world stage amid the country's worsening displacement crisis. Fresh from making history with his album XX and receiving Congo's highest honour, he reflects on his global success and national pride.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Ayuba Iliya, Bella Twine and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru
Senior Producer: Blessing Aderogba
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

More than 2,000 people have fled across the Red Sea into neighbouring Djibouti as fighting in Yemen escalates. The renewed conflict between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has also displaced more than 100,000 people inside Yemen. Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels have seized Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast after fierce battles with government forces, tightening their hold on crucial shipping lanes.
With thousands more seeking safety across the Red Sea. We take a closer look at the human cost of the conflict and why the latest developments matter for Africa.
And as African cities expand, forests, wetlands and other natural spaces are being cleared for development. Experts say this is altering how cities absorb heat, manage flooding and store carbon. We explore the importance of natural ecosystems to African cities.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Ayuba Iliya, Bella Twine and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru
Senior Producer: Blessing Aderogba
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla