Focus on Africa

The World Health Organization says that while most Africans do not drink alcohol, those who do can drink heavily. So are some young people turning to alcohol to cope with stress, work pressures, and mental health challenges? And are women facing a different set of pressures? We heard from 26-year-old Kenyan content creator Chebet Ronoh, who has documented her struggles with alcohol and relapse, and addiction therapist Caroline Kagia, who achieved sobriety after struggling with alcoholism for nearly two decades.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Fana Negash, Carolyne Kiambo and Keikantse Shumba
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Senior Producer: Priya Sippy
Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

Mozambique has reintegrated more than 100 former Islamist militants into civilian life as part of an amnesty programme launched five years ago to help restore stability in Cabo Delgado. The region has been gripped by an insurgency for nearly a decade, leaving more than 6,000 people dead and displacing around 1.1 million others. With military and regional peace efforts, including a mission led by SADC, struggling to deliver lasting peace, we explore whether rehabilitation and reintegration could offer a path to long-term stability.
And, we hear from Nigerian dancer and choreographer Benjamin Daniel, popularly known as Bendancer, about his bid to break the Guinness World Record for the longest dance marathon by an individual. He reflects on the determination, discipline and motivation behind his remarkable endurance challenge in Lagos.
Presenter: Blessing Aderogba
Producers: Ayuba lliya
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba
Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

Nigeria's Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate has confirmed their first Ebola case, which also marks the Bundibugyo strain's entry into West Africa. The patient is reported to have visited Uganda, though authorities in Kampala say she also visted the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is the epicentre of the outbreak. Uganda was declared free of the virus in August. We put the frequently asked questions on social media to the World Health Organisation.
And, two years after an invasive plant threatened Cameroon’s Lake Ossa, conservationists say they’ve cleared most of it, with more sightings of the vulnerable African manatee. We speak to the man behind the effort.
Presenter: Blessing Aderogba
Producers: Ayuba lliya, Keikantse Shumba and Bella Twine
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

Kenyan high court finds cult leader Paul MacKenzie guilty over the death of 190 children and one adult. Mackenzie ordered members of his cult to starve their children to death so they could "meet Jesus". In 2023, more than four hundred bodies were discovered in mass graves in the forest where his church was located. We hear from one of the first responders onsite in 2023.
Also, the World Bank is reporting that Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy should grow by 4.3% this year, higher than the UN projection for the whole world, which is 2.6%. But young people tell us the figures do not translate to jobs for them.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Ayuba lliya, Keikantse Shumba and Bella Twine
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

Across the continent, the increasing price of fuel is being felt by households and businesses alike, as governments grapple with the economic impact of rising costs. South Africans are demanding an immediate decrease, as users in Malawi face acute shortages. As the ripple effects of the hike spreads, we hear from Nigeria's Finance Minister, who has announced a discount at the pump for consumers.
Meanwhile new data from the World Health Organisation shows that less than four out of every ten women in Africa who suffer from breast cancer survive. We speak to one of the survivors from Ghana.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Bella Twine
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla