How Luanda Will Topple Lagos To Become Sub-Saharan Africa’s Biggest City

The World Bank projects that Luanda is set to topple Lagos as Africa’s largest city. A new report from the bank also suggests that Sub-Saharan Africa could host five megacities with more than 10 million people each, highlighting the rapid urbanization taking place across the continent.  On this we…

Senegal’s Debt Crisis: Who Will Pay the Bill?

Senegal’s prime minister said he expects to resolve a standoff over the country’s budget within days, as the authorities seek approval for a new International Monetary Fund program.  On this week’s Next Africa Podcast, Bloomberg’s West Africa reporter Katarina Höije discusses her interview with Pr…

How Nigeria’s Top Film Producers Are Branching Out Worldwide

Nigeria’s film industry is big business - second only to India in the number of films produced annually. The films generate huge audiences in Nigeria - and many believe there’s an untapped market overseas. But after streamers like Netflix and Amazon Prime moved away from funding films upfront - pro…

How Rwanda Won The Race To Host Africa’s F1

Formula 1 will return to Africa, with a first race set to take place in Rwanda in the early 2030s. The East African nation will host the F1 African Grand Prix under a 10-year agreement, Formula 1 said in a statement on Tuesday.  Rwanda beat out competition from South Africa and Morocco to win the r…

Why fighting in the Horn of Africa risks a new Red Sea conflict

Ethiopian troops have regained control of the city of Mekelle, the capital of the country’s northern Tigray region - after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front - the TPLF had seized the city’s airport and declared war on the government. As Ethiopia’s relationship with its neighbours worsen some fea…

Why South Africa’s Fight Against Violent Crime Is Failing

The discovery of 11 women’s bodies in and around Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, has horrified South Africans. Then the last few days provided a stark reminder of the country's violent crime problem:  two separate mass shootings left 28 people dead, just days after 11 people were killed at a hous…

Can Dangote’s IPO Live Up to The Hype?

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has finally launched the much anticipated IPO of part of his refinery business, and it's generated so much hype that many investment apps were overwhelmed by demand. The company hopes to raise as much as $2 billion from retail investors and with a minimum invest…

Replay: China's Growing Grip on Africa's EV Fastlane

We wanted to bring you one of our favourite episodes from the last 12 months this week. In Ethiopia, the share of electric vehicles on the road has jumped to 6% from just 1% after a 2024 ban on new gasoline-car imports.  Across Africa, EV adoption is now among the fastest-growing globally — with …

Why Investors Are Bullish on Kenya

A sovereign-rating upgrade and a stabilizing currency are helping restore Kenya’s appeal investors. Two years after deadly protests rattled sentiment, the markets have staged a recovery. Kenya’s all-share index has more than tripled in dollar terms since the start of 2024 making it the world's thir…

What If You Give Everyone $700?

A $200 million project in Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, is testing a radically simple approach to aid: giving about $700 directly to as many as 230,000 adults and letting them decide how best to spend it. The hope is that recipients will use the money to start businesses, invest in…