Focus on Africa

Last Saturday, gunfire and attacks near the airport were witnessed in Niamey, Niger's capital city. Defecting soldiers known as the Armed Forces for the Restoration of the Fatherland, attempted a coup which was later contained by the military with the support of its Russia Africa corps. Authorities in the country have not said how many soldiers were involved in the coup, or how many people were killed in the ensuing violence. The current military leader General Abdourahamane Tiani came to power in 2023 after ousting then democratically-elected president Mohamed Bazoum. We look at what the latest mutiny means for the country's stability.

And as a new report shows women make up only 6% of pilots globally, we find out if perceptions about women in aviation are changing in African countries.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba and Ayuba Iliya
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Now, you may have heard about a trial currently happening in the US, it’s a tragic case where a mother has been charged for killing her three children. However, her lawyers have argued she was experiencing with postpartum psychosis at that time. The trial has put a spotlight on postpartum psychosis - which is a rare and severe mental health condition, including symptoms such as mania, depression, confusion, and hallucinations. So, what’s it like to experience postpartum psychosis? And how do you come out on the other side? Focus on Africa host, Nkechi Ogbonna, spoke to Chebet Birir, a 33-year-old journalist from Kenya and a mother of four about her journey with the illness.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba and Carolyne Jotham
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Senior producers: Priyanka Sippy and Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

American country music star, Dolly Parton passed away this week and her fans across the continent have felt the loss greatly. Her songs, such as Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You, crossed generations, borders and musical genres. We hear from the leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the South African group who worked with Parton on Knockin' on Heaven's Door in 1995, and later collaborated on Peace Train, which appeared on her album, Treasures.
And with Nigeria’s elections being months away, can a new Muslim-Christian agreement help ease religious tensions?
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Carolyne Jotham, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

US President Donald Trump's senior Africa envoy has asked the UN to extend its arms embargo from Darfur to all of Sudan, amid a recent escalation in the conflict. Now in its fourth year, the war in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people and forced 14 million more to flee their homes. An arms embargo covering the Darfur region has been in place for more than two decades - and will expire next month if not amended or renewed.
And, following immense drought and land degradation in the Sahel region, restoration efforts have begun aimed at helping vulnerable groups who are battling the impact of climate change in the region.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba and Helen Oyibo
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Somali piracy is rising again. The buccaneers capitalize on security gaps, targeting cargo ships and demanding multi-million dollar ransoms. On Sunday, nine people were reportedly killed in a drone strike on a small boat off the coast of Somalia, in a series of attacks linked to the hijacking of a Cameroon-flagged vessel.
And in Mozambique, a simple paper appointment book is helping tackle long clinic queues hoping to bring healthcare services closer to pregnant women
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Carolyne Kiambo and Blessing Aderogba
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla