Africa Today

Chad's interim President Mahamat Idriss Déby has begun campaigning ahead of the country's next presidential election, which is just three weeks away. He faces nine other candidates, including the junta-appointed Prime Minister Succès Masra. President Deby has pledged to strengthen security and guarantee Chad's peace and stability. Will he keep his promises? Also a look at Russia's growing influence in the Sahel as Russian troops arrive in Niger.And how African youth are thinking about future investments.

France is hosting an international conference on Sudan, one year after war broke out. It says, it's seeking much needed aid and attention. Observers say the Sudan crisis has been pushed out of the global conversation due to other ongoing conflicts. Will the conference make a difference? Why has Mali banned political activity and curtailed media freedoms?And cartoonist and satirist Jim Spire Ssentongo on the dangers and challenges of holding authority to account.Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Patricia Whitehorne, Yvette Twagiramariya, Bella Hassan and Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

How the Chibok girls are getting on with their lives ten years on from when they were kidnappedConcern over cyber-crime in Zambia following the busting of a syndicate scamming innocent peopleAnd why African men are twice as likely to get prostate cancer than white men.

South Africa's electoral commission (IEC) has published final candidate lists for general elections. Former president Jacob Zuma is free to contest in May's poll. Should the governing ANC be worried?We learn about the illicit organ trade in Western Kenya, with some young people selling their kidneys.And why Ivory Coast has announced a ban on begging in the commercial capital Abidjan.Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Charles Gitonga, Yvette Twagiramariya, Victor Sylver and Paul Bakibinga Editor: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Warring parties in Sudan accused of killing civilians both deliberately and indiscriminatelyCalls for Tanzanian troops to be withdrawn from the Democratic Republic of Congo after three Tanzanian soldiers were killed thereAnd what Eid Al Fitr celebrations hold for Afro-Palestinians in the Middle East?

Mozambican officials say that disinformation on cholera recently led to a ferry disaster in which more than 90 people died. Why is it still proving to be a challenge to control outbreaks of cholera in southern Africa? What can be done?How lack of basic hygiene in health facilities could be costing Sub-Saharan Africa billions of dollars.Popular Nigerian celebrity Bobrisky pleads guilty to abuse of the naira. What's really at play?Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Charles Gitonga, Bella Hassan, Yvette Twagiramariya and Paul Bakibinga Editor: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Sierra Leone faces a rampant drugs abuse crisis which President Bio describes as an existential threat to the countrySomalia and Turkey sign an agreement to collaborate on oil and gas explorationAnd we look at how a shortage of condoms is impacting HIV and AIDS cases in South Africa

Sierra Leone faces a rampant drugs abuse crisis which President Bio describes as an existential threat to the countrySomalia and Turkey sign an agreement to collaborate on oil and gas explorationAnd we look at how a shortage of condoms is impacting HIV and AIDS cases in South Africa

An underage girl has been placed under police protection in Ghana after it emerged she had been married to a 63-year-old traditional high priest. There was public outrage after footage of the customary wedding went viral. The office of the priest defended the marriage, saying it was only ceremonial. What's going on?Also we hear a moving conversation between two Rwandans, 30 years after the genocideAnd we visit London's first ever Nigerian Michelin star restaurant!Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Charles Gitonga, Susan Gachuhi, Patricia Whitehorne, Nyasha Michelle Compliance: Karnie Sharp Editor: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Gabon has opened up, what it calls, an inclusive national dialogue. Catholic Archbishop Jean-Patrick Iba-Ban who is leading the initiatve, said it should heal the wounds inflicted on the people of Gabon by former leaders who were more interested in power than the people they were called upon to lead. We'll hear analysis.Also Ghana's newly appointed health minister tells us how drones have revolutionised the delivery of critical medical supplies.And a ride with Pelumi Nubi, the PhD student driving from London to Lagos. Could she be the first known black woman to complete the journey? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Stefania Okereke and Bella Hassan Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Producer: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

South Africa opens a new border authority to curb illegal crossings from neighbouring countries. We hear from the BBC team that visited a town on the border with Zimbabwe. Ghana's new health minister has published a new book on the lessons learnt from the Covid pandemic in his country, and the experience of fear, facts, faith and fortune. And we explore the global potential and profitability of Africa fashion.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Stefania Okereke and Victor Sylver Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Somalia's parliament has approved several constitutional changes which the government says are necessary to establish a stable political system. So what are the changes and why is it causing concern? Also why was Stanis Bujakera, a well known journalist in the Democratic Republic of Congo detained? And what's it like being a journalist in the DRC?And a conversation with wheelchair user, Adebola Daniel in Nigeria, on the discrimination he faced at the KFC at Lagos airport.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramaria, Stefania Okereke and Bella Hassan Technical Producer: Danny Cox Senior Producer: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

One of the first people to publicly declare herself a transwoman in Nigeria 20 years ago and who had to flee the country, tells us about her experience to stand up for the rights of transgender people.    As Uganda launches the country's first interest-free commercial Islamic bank, we take a look at how Shariah compliant banking works.    And nurses from across the continent, meeting in Rwanda and Sweden, have voiced their concerns over the growing crisis in their profession and the ‘medical brain drain’. We get reaction to the claim that the recruitment of staff from the continent by western nations is “a new form of colonialism.”Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Nyasha Michelle, Rob Wilson, Richard Kagoe, Sunita Nahar Technical Producer: Ricardo McCarthy Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Togo's parliament has voted for a new constitution which resulted in people taking to the streets in protest. The changes mean, parliament now has the power to elect the President for a single six-year term. It all sounds good in theory, so why are critics concerned? Also why does the United States and the United Nations refer to Guinea Bissau as a 'narco-state'?And the cost of cobalt mining in the DR Congo. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Sunita Nahar, Victor Sylver and Rob Wilson Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer Senior Producer: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Gambia's parliament is considering a bill, to reverse a ban on Female Genital Mutilation. If passed, Gambia will be the first country in the world to do this. Some Gambians say the ban violates their rights to practice their culture, others disagree. We'll hear from two women who share different views.Also the airspace dispute between Somalia and Somaliland continues. What's behind it?And a conference in Liberia encouraging young people to talk about issues that affect them. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Sunita Nahar, Stefania Okereke and Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Cryptocurrency platorms are very popular in Nigeria, so why have Nigerian authoraties clamped down on cryptocurrency firms? And what's going on between the firm Binance and the Nigerian government? Also Mauritians once enjoyed a healthy economy but the Mauritian rupee has taken a hit. Why is that and what's been the impact? And how the London based play 'For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy' is opening up conversations considered taboo, within black communities.

Senegal has a new president-elect, 44 year old Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He is currently Africa's youngest democratically elected leader. Who is he and what are his plans for Senegal?Paying a ransom in Nigeria is illegal but out of sheer desperation, many family members still give money to hostage takers. A ransom negotiator tells us how it's done.And why some African countries, like Sudan and Kenya are experiencing a heatwave.

Uganda's President 79 year old Yoweri Museveni, has promoted his son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to head the military. His promotion comes amid a major cabinet reshuffle in which five ministers were sacked. Mr Museveni has denied speculation that he is grooming him as his successor. What do Ugandans make of it? Also an analysis of the recently approved Rwandan bill that, Rwanda says, will ensure the safety of asylum seekers from the UKAnd why the opinion about the police across the continent is very low!

Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo is once more throwing his hat into the ring. He's agreed to run in next year's Presidential election. He disputed the election results, back in the 2010 poll and that led to an outbreak of civil war in 2011. Thousands died or were displaced. What are his chances, this time round? Also a recent internet outage that affected West and Central Africa was caused by a break in a submarine cable system. How do cables, deep on the ocean floor, get fixed? And we hear thoughts of Ghanaian Afrobeats star, Kuami Eugene

Women have become constant targets of sexual violence in Sudan's conflict between the country's military and their former allies, a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces. We'll hear testimonies from young women and get reaction. Also, why is Ethiopia running out of medicines and what's been the impact? And the founders of Kugali, who produced the animation series IWAJU, tell us how their collaboration with Disney went!