Focus on Africa

Fatima Zahra El Mansouri has been named Morocco's first female prime minister, after her Authenticity and Modernity Party (Pam) won the most seats in last week's parliamentary elections. The party secured 97 of the 395 seats in the lower house of parliament, short of an outright majority, which means El Mansouri’s first task will be to build a governing coalition. Speaking at the royal palace after her appointment by King Mohammed VI, El Mansouri described the moment as historic and said it was a source of pride for Moroccan women.
And as Nigeria marks 66 years of independence on October 1, we look back at key moments in the country's history, and how plays and films are keeping those stories alive.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Rukia Bulle, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Kenya has broken the ground for a new oil refinery backed by Nigerian industrialist and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote. The 700,000 barrels per day refinery is believed to be a gamechanger in the energy security and stability of petroleum supply in the East African region. The construction of the $16bn dollar oil refinery in Lamu, coastal Kenya is expected to create about 60,000 jobs and be completed within three years. It hopes to provide 1,000 megawatts of power generation, twice the capacity of his Lagos refinery, serving the needs of the Lamu refinery and beyond.
And we hear from Ghana's Abigail Anderson who is using modelling and content creation to raise awareness about the condition and what its like to pursue a career in modelling for people with vitiligo
Presenter: Charles Gitonga
Producers: Rukia Bulle and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi
Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

South Africa is reeling from a series of mass shootings that have left dozens of people dead in less than a week near three of South Africa's biggest cities. One attack happened on Saturday evening when eight gunmen stormed a bar near Johannesburg and opened fire on customers killing 18 people. A few hour later, 10 people were killed in a separate shooting outside an entertainment venue near Cape Town. Police say while robbery appears to be a primary motive, they have not ruled out turf wars between illegal mining groups.
And one man is making school desks out of plastic bags to help address Ghana's waste problem. Makafui Awuku is the founder of Mckingtorch Africa, and he recycles the plastic sachet bags into school desks
Presenter: Charles Gitonga
Producers: , Rukia Bulle and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi
Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

As heavy fighting resumes between a coalition of armed opposition forces and Ethiopia's federal government, the country's army commander has accused Sudan and Eritrea of backing the rebel groups. Sudan has denied the claimes and described them as baseless. In Tigray, where a deadly war ended in 2022, the regional state broadcaster, Tigray TV went off air on Sunday. Privately-owned news outlet Zara Media Network reported that the station was hit by a drone strike by the federal military.
And a new king is set to be crowned in Uganda's Tooro Kingdom on Tuesday, following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. We hear about the coronation process.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

For millions of young Africans, leaving home in search of better opportunities has become an increasingly attractive option. A recent Afrobarometer survey across 38 African countries found that 55% of young people aged 18–35 have considered emigrating. Roughly 22% would prefer to remain somewhere in Africa, while 60% favour Europe or North America. Among those considering leaving, better work opportunities are the leading motivation, but is this merely about better work opportunities and what would make young Africans stay?
Host, Nkechi Ogbonna, spoke to Oluwaseyi Makinde, who moved from Nigeria to Canada as a teenager, only to return to Nigeria as an adult, and Omotoke Motunrayo Fatoki who made the move from Nigeria to Rwanda.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Ayuba Iliya, Carolyne Jotham and Keikantse Shumba
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Senior Producers: Priyanka Sippy, Blessing Aderogba and Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie, Maryam Abdalla