Focus on Africa (radio programme)
 Focus on Africa logo since 2023 | |
| Other names | Focus |
|---|---|
| Genre | Podcast/broadcast |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Country of origin | Kenya |
| Language | English |
| Home station | BBC World Service |
| Hosted by | Nkechi Ogbonna Charles Gitonga |
| Produced by | Ayuba Iliya Bella Twine Blessing Aderogba Carolyne Jotham Carolyne Kiambo Charles Gitonga Fana Negash Keikantse Shumba Priya Sippy Victor Chege |
| Edited by | Daniel Dadzie Maryam Abdalla Rhoda Odhiambo |
| Recording studio | Bush House (1960 - 2012) Broadcasting House (2012 - 2025) BBC Nairobi (2025 - ) |
| Original release | 15 August 1960 |
| Website | BBC Focus on Africa |
Focus on Africa is the BBC World Service's flagship news and current affairs programme about Africa, and it is one of the BBC's longest running radio programmes.[1][2][3][4]
It is currently a podcast broadcast on the BBC five days a week at 15:00 and 17:00 GMT. The programme is produced and presented from Nairobi, Kenya.
Focus on Africa is also the name used for a television news programme launched internationally on the BBC News Channel in 2012.
History
Focus on Africa officially launched on 15 August 1960, airing three editions a week for 15 minutes on shortwave. It was produced by a team at Bush House in London, home of the BBC World Service until 2012.
Over its decades-long history, Focus on Africa has reported on many of the major political, social, humanitarian, cultural and sporting developments across Africa and the world.
Its coverage has included the independence of numerous African states, the emergence of Zimbabwe and South Sudan as independent countries, the rise and fall of Idi Amin’s regime in Uganda, the Ethiopian famine, the election of Africa’s first female head of state, Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and the end of apartheid in South Africa, the Ebola epidemic, and major cultural and sporting events, including the first FIFA World Cup to be held on the African continent in South Africa in 2010.
Focus on Africa also featured regular sports news and slots for arts and entertainment. The Resident Presidents,[5] a satirical comedy sketch portraying two fictional African heads of state, Olushambles and Kibarkingmad, through exaggerated political stereotypes, was introduced as a Friday feature of the programme. It has annoyed some who see it as a veiled dig at African leadership.[6]
The programme aired seven days a week with three weekday editions and a two single editions on Saturdays and Sundays. Later, the weekend programmes were abolished. Focus on Africa also reached a global audience, and especially Africans in the diaspora, through its Africa Today podcast which has also ended.
Digital media
In 2023, Focus on Africa evolved from a live, breaking news radio programme into a recorded podcast. The decision to switch the programme format was highly controversial and continues to divide opinion, especially among devoted listeners.[7]
The new podcast tackles three main stories and is broadcast on the World Service and digitally. As of 2025, the entire Focus on Africa outfit moved from London to the BBC Nairobi Bureau in Kenya .[8][9]
Presenters
Throughout its long history, Focus on Africa has been presented by successive generations of BBC journalists, with a number of regular and relief presenters contributing to the programme across its radio era and, more recently, its development as a podcast:
Current
- Nkechi Ogbonna
- Charles Gitonga
Past
- Akwasi Sarpong
- Audrey Brown
- Bola Mosuro
- Chris Bickerton[10]
- David Amanor
- Esau Williams
- Elizabeth Ohene
- Fred Dove
- Hassan Arouni
- Israel Wamala[11]
- Josephine Hazeley
- Julian Marshall
- Komla Dumor[12]
- Paul Bakibinga
- Peter Okwoche
- Rick Wells
- Robin White
- Uduak Amimo
External links
References
- ↑ Thomas, Abdul Rashid (2020-08-16). "BBC Focus on Africa radio celebrates 60th Anniversary". The Sierra Leone Telegraph. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ Thomas, Abdul Rashid (2020-08-25). "Focus on Africa at 60 – Hassan Arouni talks to the Sierra Leone Telegraph". The Sierra Leone Telegraph. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ Amos, Kobor (2020-08-18). "BBC's six decades of Focus on Africa". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "BBC Focus on Africa show: A tale of the continent's 60-year history". Monitor. 2020-08-31. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "BBC World Service - Focus on Africa, The Resident Presidents". BBC. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "The Great Lakes Eye". thegreatlakeseye.com. Retrieved 2026-08-14.
- ↑ "Africa: An Open Letter to the BBC - A Fight to Save Focus On Africa". allAfrica.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-26. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "BBC expands Africa-based output for World Service – RadioToday". 2025-11-18. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ Ogunsemore, John (2025-11-22). "Why BBC's Focus on Africa is moving from London to Nairobi – Nkechi Ogbonna, BBC correspondent". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "'Voice of Africa' dies". 2002-05-30. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ Popham, Mike (2006-03-21). "Israel Wamala". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "BBC journalist Komla Dumor dies". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-08-13.