Africa Today

There's been heavy fighting between Somali forces and Al Shabaab fighters in the central region of Mudug. Last year ,the government said it had shifted its tactics against the militant group.  Are those tactics working?Also, what is the local response after Cameroon becomes the first country in the world to start routine vaccinations against malaria.  And Zambian poet, Vanessa Chisakula, on telling stories through performance poetry.

Could Africa's leaders be too old to lead the world's youngest population? The continent's newest democratically elected president Liberia's Joseph Boakai is 79We meet Ghanaian Lesley Lokko the first African woman to win the prestigious gold medal for services to architecture.And learn about British-Nigerian rapper Skepta's directorial debut with the short film Tribal Mark.Audio for this episode was updated on 24th January 2024.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting four countries in Africa. What does the US want from its relationship with the continent and who benefits? Also will raising the age of consent in Zimbabwe reduce sexual abuse? And with Afcon in full swing, we look at the health of African footballers.

Joseph Boakai has started a six-year term as president of Liberia. He is the third democratically elected head of state. Tackling corruption and the economy are expected to be his immediate challenges.What's behind the sewage polluted beaches along the Durban coastline in South Africa?And the Somali songs inciting hatred against Ethiopians

Violent crime is soaring in South Africa, with the murder rate at a 20-year high. Getting away with murder has become normal. What's going on?Also how did Tanzania come to be ranked as the least indebted country in Africa? What did they do differently?And why have authorities in Nigeria warned against using the pidgin English term, “No gree for anybody”? It's triggered an online debate!

A Sierra Leone high court has allowed ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, charged with treason, to travel abroad on medical grounds. Mr. Koroma was charged for his alleged role in a failed military coup in November.The Non-Aligned Movement summit is currently underway in Uganda. Is it still relevant?And the 'Cranky uncle ' game now tackling vaccine hesitancy in Africa.

More than 200 people have starved to death since July in Ethiopia's drought-hit and war-scarred Tigray region, local authorities say. Officials warn the region is on the brink of famine on a scale last seen in 1984. How did Tigray return to this desperate situation? Also why are Nigerians turning to crowdfunding to pay for ransoms?And what does it mean to be Black, African and British? How African migration is shaping politics, faith, business and culture in the UK.

Zambia is battling one of its worst cholera outbreaks in recent years. More than 300 people have died and nearly 6,000 active cases have been registered.Why did Nigeria’s Central Bank dissolve boards of three lenders?And the young Ghanaian entrepreneur using solar technology to help farmers protect their produce from wastage

Burundi has closed its borders with Rwanda after accusing its neighbour of funding rebel attacks. Rwandan President Paul Kagame denies the charge, but Burundi's government has branded him a "bad neighbour". Can the two neigbours overcome their differences?Also a report on migrant workers facing forced labour and exploitation in MauritiusAnd a doctor from Sierra Leone tells us how his country and developing countries can hold onto their health care workers.

Cape Verde becomes the first sub-Saharan country to get rid of the deadly malaria disease in 50 yearsWhy is South Africa aiming to legislate for proper labelling of foodstuffs? And the anticipation and excitement of the African Cup of Nations which kicks off in Ivory Coast this weekend !

Voters in Comoros head to the polls on Sunday to elect the next president. The incumbent Azali Assoumani is seeking a fourth term, but who are his main challengers? The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicks off in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan, this Sunday, but next time hosts Kenya did not qualify for this year’s tournament. Former Kenyan international Musa Otieno says the game’s infrastructure in the country needs to improve. And Knives down, Gloves up, we hear from a young man with Ivorian and Guinean heritage, on the connection between good mental health and sport and why he established a boxing club after a lifechanging act of violence.

South Africa is taking Israel to the ICJ in the Hague. Pretoria alleges that genocide is being committed against Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. So far more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's operation against Hamas militants.Are Ethiopians in Somalia and Somaliland now living in fear as tensions rise between Mogadishu and Hargeisa after a seaport access deal ? And the future of Artificial Intelligence in Africa.

President Ruto’s flagship visa-free policy for all visitors to Kenya has come into effect, but travellers are finding that it is not working as expected. Five years after Cyclone Idai devastated lives and livelihoods in Mozambique, how are people in the areas that were worst affected doing now? And we hear from the Ghanaian tennis photographer whose images of young African players captured the admiration of one of the sport’s all-time greats - Serena Williams.

A BBC investigation has uncovered evidence of widespread abuse by the founder of one of the world's biggest evangelical churches the late TB Joshua. Former members accuse him of rape, torture and forced abortions. As Senegalese courts deal blow to opposition leader Ousmane Sonko's presidential hopes, What does this portend for the coming elections?And why is the Nigerian government on a crackdown of fake degrees?

Troops from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), that includes Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania, have been deployed to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to fight the M23 and other armed groups. They have replaced the UN mission Monusco and an east African force that was deemed to be ineffective. Can Sadc succeed in reducing instability in the region?Thousands of unaccompanied children were among record numbers of irregular migrants who arrived in Spain last year. Amnesty International in Spain says the authorities there are overwhelmed.And nine months on from the outbreak of hostilities between rival military factions in Sudan, what is life like for ordinary citizens? We hear from one resident in the capital, Khartoum.

Why was Sierra Leone's ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma charged with treason ? He has denied any involvement in an attack which killed about 20 people last November.Where next for Chad after a contested constitutional referendum vote?And renowned cellist Abel Selaocoe on how South African oral traditions are connected to classical music.

Somalia has described an agreement that landlocked Ethiopia made with the self-declared republic of Somaliland over sea access as “an act of aggression”. What are the implications for the entire Horn of Africa region? A new succession battle for the Zulu throne has been triggered after a court in South Africa ruled that President Cyril Ramaphosa's official crowning of the new Zulu king last year was unlawful. And we hear why analysts are bullish about online gaming in Africa and believe the market is set to hit the billion-dollar mark by the end of this year.

As South Africa battles increased load shedding, could nuclear energy be the answer to address the crisis?And the BBC's Ian Wafula's backstory to Africa Eye's investigation into how members of the LGBT community in Nigeria are being targeted by criminal gangsAnd we talk to the award-winning Somali director Ahmed Farah on his debut feature film-Ayaalne

The new year 2024, marks significant anniversaries for two countries. It is 30 years since South Africa held its first democratic election, signalling the dismantling of centuries of violent colonial and racial domination. At the same time, Rwanda was descending into a genocide that would leave up to a million people dead. Today we look back to that time to see how Rwanda and South Africa navigated those years. And Afrobeats has always been popular among the people who made the music. But last year the milestones kept piling up. So what does 2024 have in store for the music genre? We hear from the host of the UK Afrobeats chart show Eddie Kadi, and the Nigerian superstar nicknamed the Queen of Afrobeats, Yemi Alade.

The fighting that erupted in Sudan on 15 April this year between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), continues unabated. We hear from the BBC's Mohanad Hashim who has been covering the conflict from the start. It is more than a story to him. It involves his homeland, his family, and his compatriots.Also, we meet Idiat Shiole, the 3D virtual fashion designer and creator of multiple AI models, representing a broader range of African women on the virtual catwalk.And a look back at Africa's sporting triumphs in 2023!