Africa Today

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 girls needing support in Sudan following gender-based violence has nearly quadrupled since the start of the war, according to a new UN gender alert. We hear from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. And across parts of Africa, laws targeting same-sex relationships are tightening. We hear how the LGBTQ+ community is finding ways to create safe spaces.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse, Chiamaka Dike, and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 night of her death, and a test of her hair showed no long-term heroin use. The BBC Disclosure team has been to Ghana to hear from witnesses about what happened in the days leading up to and the night of her death.  And the population of mountain Gorillas in Uganda may increase following conservation initiatives aimed at improving the lives of local communities to discourage poaching activities.   Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine, Chiamaka Dike, and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 to "turn the world's attention to Africa" according to a senior Vatican official. More than a fifth of the world's Catholics are in Africa, making it one of the fastest-growing regions for the Church.Also - we hear from the Head of African Music at YouTube on how creators can earn more on the platform. Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Yet even in the darkest moments, music lives on. Sudanese musicians are using their voices to spread hope - and to heal. We hear from one of Sudan’s most influential bands, Aswat Almadina, on how music is helping them survive. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash, Basma El Atti and Bashar Osman Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 49-year-old finance minister Romuald Wadagni, who will face off against opposition candidate Paul Hounkpè. We hear the priorities of young voters in the election. And we get up close with Ify Adenuga, mother to British-Nigerian Rapper, Skepta as she shares what it was like raising a child who wanted to be a rapper?Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 exports from Africa to the Gulf. We ask if the stand off has triggered African countries to trade more with each other to offset the disruption brought about by the war. Also in Uganda, some refugees from neighbouring countries are finding it difficult to access land to bury their loved ones while others lay in unmarked graves. What's behind this?Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 interest around the world. We heard from a representative of Africa2Moon - a project working towards Africa's first mission to the moon. Also, the African Union Development Agency says foreign aid won’t be enough to bridge Africa's trillion-dollar funding gap. What does this mean for the continent's young population?Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Daniel Dadzie, Keikantse Shumba, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 team, The Leopards, are heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup that is being hosted across North America in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The team received a hero's welcome in Kinshasa following their victory against Jamaica. This year's tournament will see the highest number of African countries represented. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Bella Twine, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 are changing. In Kenya, some high-profile figures have even celebrated separations with “divorce parties,” while the idea of a “divorce glow-up” is gaining traction online. Focus on Africa host Nkechi Ogbonna speaks to 34-year-old Millicent Bundi from Kenya, who is sharing her post-divorce journey publicly, and Zambia’s Magnus Mando (Mag44) about the challenges of divorce as a gospel singer. Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash and Carolyne Kiambo Technical Producer: David Kinyanjui Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 Mauritius has imposed restrictions to reduce wastage especially in high-power consumption areas. While raising fuel prices for the second time in a month, Ethiopian authorities have ordered fuel supply companies to prioritise security institutions, major government projects, key industries and the manufacture of essential goods.   Also, across Nigeria and the Sahel, insecurity remains a challenge but one Nigerian startup is building locally made surveillance drones. We hear from the innovators.     Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: David Kinyanjui Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 a Nigerian community leader in the city, who has a traditional title that can be translated as "king of the Igbo people in East London". We hear from a Nigerian community leader in Scotland. Also, what's causing the decline in the populations of cheetahs in Somaliland and the Horn of Africa region? We hear from a conservation organisation. Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: David Kinyanjui Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editor: Maryam Abdalla

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 as a power struggle between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces - RSF - and the Sudanese army and has led to what the UN describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.  MSF's report says between January 2024 and November 2025, more than 3,000 survivors of sexual violence sought treatment in its supported facilities across North and South Darfur in western Sudan. We hear from a midwife and some of the survivors.   And in Lesotho, the US may have reduced the trade tariffs imposed on the country but what lingering impact does it have on the country's garment and textile industry?   Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba and Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: David Kinyanjui Senior P

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 among the 52 countries that abstained from the vote. The resolution was tabled by Ghana with the backing of the African Union and Caribbean nations. We examine what this resolution means for African countries and its youth. Also, we hear from a curator of an art exhibition in Berlin, Germany - held to commemorate the sacrifices of over 700,000 African soldiers who fought on behalf of France during the 1st and 2nd World Wars.   Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Bella Twine and Daniel Dadzie Technical Producer: David Kinyanjui Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

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 viral. But are 'finfluencers' empowering the youth or exposing them to financial harm? We hear from 23-year-old Achiever Omoobajesu and 24-year-old Gbeminiyi Shopeju about Gen Z's approach to investing and why social media has become to go-to place for financial advice. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash and Carolyne Kiambo Technical Producer: David Nzau Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

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. We look at the impact of the crisis in the Middle East on Africa's oil supply. Also - we speak with British-Nigerian DJ Cuppy about balancing a career in entertainment and pursuing academic goals.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine and Daniel Dadzie Technical Producer: David Nzau Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

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 allows migrants at risk in their home countries to stay in the US. We speak to the BBC’s Bushra Mohamed, who was in Minneapolis where fear remains widespread in the African community.And, Zambia's Drug Enforcement Agency has sounded the alarm on a spike in drug abuse cases. The Commission says the substances most commonly abused by young people include cannabis, cocaine, heroin and some over-the-counter medicines like cough syrup. We speak to Brian Chishimba, who is now leading efforts to raise awareness around mental health and addiction after overcoming his own struggles.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Daniel Dadzie Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer

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. Witnesses, gender activists and local residents say that women were warned not to go out during the festival, and that those found outside were deliberately targeted. This has raised concerns that sexual violence may have been organised or tolerated under the cover of tradition.Also, we look at how the conflict in the Middle East is affecting the supply of fertiliser on the African continent. Oliver Kirui, a Research Fellow and Country Program Leader for Nigeria and Ghana at the International Food Policy Research Institute, highlights what this means for food security in Africa.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Chiamaka Dike and Daniel Dadzie Technical Producer: Mbarak A

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 intensified a crackdown on dissent with courts upholding convictions against activists, which critics describe as an escalating crackdown on civil society voices.Also, do you know exactly how space technology works, and what progress in the sector would mean for Africa’s future? We speak to Temidayo Oniosun, Managing Director of Space in Africa, a marketing intelligence firm for the continent’s space sector to learn more.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Daniel Dadzie Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producer: Bella Twine Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

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 Health Service. In several countries in Africa, the demand for BBLs is on the rise, but there are still challenges around regulation. Just recently in Lagos, a young woman reportedly died after a BBL procedure, prompting Nigeria’s Lagos State Government to launch an investigation into her death. In this episode, we hear from two young women, in Kenya and Nigeria, who recently got BBLs to hear about the risks, the post-surgery recovery and the influence of social media on body image.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producers: Carolyne Kiambo Jotham and Priyanka Sippy Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

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 Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders and more than 80 other militants in a major operation in the north-east.Meanwhile, the percentage of female players registered with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) rose from 10% in 2020 to 16.5% in 2026. Yet top-level chess remains male-dominated, with no women in the top 100. Fewer players, limited female coaches and unwelcoming environments are barriers. We speak to 24-year-old Moroccan champion Sarah El Barbry, who's bringing chess online.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Chiamaka Dike Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producers: Bella Twine and Blessing Aderogba Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla