RFI Spotlight on Africa

Spotlight on Africa

An in-depth look at an important story affecting the African continent today.
Occasionally English South Africa News
44 Episodes
1 – 20

Côte d'Ivoire presidential election 2025: What's at stake?

Côte d'Ivoire's presidential election campaign is taking shape, with four challengers hoping to defeat longtime incumbent Alassane Ouattara in the 25 October vote, but no candidates from the country's two main opposition parties. For Spotlight on Africa, analyst Paul Melly underlines that the run-up has so far been peaceful, but that…
14 Oct 26 min

DZ Fest brings Algerian culture centre stage in the UK

With more than two million Algerians and people of Algerian heritage living in France – the country’s former colonial power in North Africa – a smaller community of roughly 35,000 has made its home in the United Kingdom. In 2022, Rachida Lamri founded the DZ Fest, a cultural festival designed…
30 Sep 36 min

Spotlight on Africa: Cameroon votes, Niger Delta oil pollution, South Africa - US ties

In this episode of Spotlight in Africa, we discuss the forthcoming presidential election in Cameroon, before turning our attention to Nigeria. We also explore ways to strengthen relations between South Africa and the United States, with a particular focus on improving conditions for seasonal migrant workers. Cameroonians are set to…
16 Sep 32 min

Fanon at 100: reflecting on a revolutionary legacy

This season of Spotlight on Africa concludes ahead of the summer break with a focus on Frantz Fanon in the year of his centenary. It also highlights a groundbreaking new report by UNESCO on the state of the publishing industry across the continent. This week, we begin in Harlem, New…
9 Jul 34 min

Silencing dissent in Tanzania, reckoning with genocide in Namibia

In East Africa, politicians and civil society members are increasingly alarmed by political arrests, as opposition figure Tundu Lissu remains imprisoned in Tanzania, facing the death penalty in a trial that continues to be repeatedly postponed. In this week's Spotlight on Africa podcast, we hear from Robert Amsterdam, legal counsel…
10 Jun 23 min

Ramaphosa in Washington: can South Africa - US ties be saved?

As relations between South Africa and the US hit their lowest point since apartheid’s end, President Cyril Ramaphosa heads to Washington to mend fences after years of frosty ties and dwindling aid under Trump-era policies.  In this week's Spotlight on Africa we unpack what’s at stake - and what was…
27 May 26 min

Africa’s human rights crisis: global silence and the Trump effect

Amnesty International’s 2025 annual report reviews a broad range of human rights issues, highlighting concerns in 150 countries and linking global and regional trends with an eye on the future. In Africa, the organization says the so-called “Trump effect” in the US and beyond has led to an unprecedented neglect…
13 May 28 min

Bringing the beat home: African musicians push for local music production

This week on Spotlight on Africa, we explore the growing movement among African musicians to produce their music on home soil rather than relying on studios and opportunities abroad, particularly in Europe. For decades, many African artists have found that success often hinges on recording, producing, and touring overseas. However,…
1 Apr 24 min

Spotlight on Africa: Is the future of aid at risk and ready for change?

This week, Spotlight on Africa explores critical questions about the future of aid, featuring a humanitarian worker, a columnist, and an analyst, each from different parts of Africa. As the United States and Europe prioritise funding for arms and domestic affairs, we ask whether the current aid model can endure,…
18 Mar 27 min

Spotlight on Africa: celebrating women's empowerment for Women's History Month

This week, Spotlight on Africa highlights women's empowerment across the continent, as March marks the beginning of Women's History Month, and  International Women's Day on 8 March. Officially recognised by the United Nations in 1977, International Women's Day (IWD) originated from the labour movements of the early twentieth century.On 8 March,…
4 Mar 25 min

The crisis in the DRC and the African Union response

As fighting continues in South Kivu between M23 rebels and Congolese forces in the eastern regions bordering Rwanda, uncertainty surrounding the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo grows. This week, we discuss how the African Union can assist with a International Crisis Group expert and address humanitarian risks with…
18 Feb 21 min

Morocco: Bridging Africa and the world through contemporary art

This week, Spotlight on Africa takes us to Marrakech, Morocco. RFI English was on the ground to cover the Moroccan edition of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which first launched in London in 2013, followed by New York in 2015, and Marrakech in 2018. Through conversations with a range…
4 Feb 20 min

DRC takes on Apple: can conflict mineral mining be stopped?

The Democratic Republic of Congo is launching an unprecedented case against the American tech giant Apple over conflict minerals. To explore the issues at hand, RFI talked to a former UN expert to discuss whether any progress has been made in curbing illegal mining. This week, we focus on the…
8 Jan 24 min

Young Nigerian entrepreneurs seek to reshape relationship with France

During Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s visit to France in November, he brought a delegation of young leaders to strengthen ties and attract investment in Africa’s largest economy. RFI caught up with some of them. Kolawole Osinowo, CEO of Baobab Plus in Nigeria – a French-Nigerian energy distribution company – highlighted…
13 Dec 2024 18 min

How harmful stereotypes and media bias are costing Africa billions

Harmful stereotypes about Africa in the global media are costing the continent billions each year and shaping damaging perceptions, campaigners are warning. A recent report explored the economic impact of biased media narratives, linking them to lost investment opportunities and higher borrowing costs for African nations. “Negative narratives about Africa have…
29 Nov 2024 22 min

Africans push food systems and climate justice at Cop29

This week's Spotlight on Africa dives into Cop29’s critical discussions on climate change – focusing on food systems, green energy funding and who should pay for climate disasters. With talks underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, negotiators and experts are grappling with solutions to the growing crisis. Zitouni Ould Dada, representing the FAIRR…
15 Nov 2024 20 min
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