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Next Africa — Places & Travel
Next Africa

Next Africa is a weekly podcast about where Africa is going and why it matters to everyone.

Each episode tells a story from the continent and follows it through real life, business, politics and culture. From electricity and climate to jobs, migration, technology, sport and music, the podcast looks at the forces shaping daily life and how those changes connect to the wider world.

The show covers challenges and breakthroughs side by side. It explains the impact of energy shortages and climate risk, but also the rise of new industries, creative economies and young entrepreneurs. Stories are reported on the ground and told with clarity, combining data, context and lived experience.

Hosted by Jennifer Zabasajja and built on original journalism from reporters on the ground, Next Africa puts local voices at the centre of the story, delivering clear, factual reporting without cliché or assumption.

Whether you live on the continent or want to better understand a region shaping the future, Next Africa offers insight, perspective and stories worth listening to.

Copyright: © 2018 Bloomberg LP

Latest Episodes:

Could President Trump Recognise Somaliland’s Independence? Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

Somaliland, which proclaimed independence from Somalia in 1991, is willing to offer the US a military base at the entrance to the Red Sea and critical-minerals deals in its quest for international recognition as a sovereign state.

On this week’s episode - Bloomberg’s Simon Marks joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain the history behind Somaliland and its independence claim, and whether this new plan to try and get US recognition will succeed.
For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why African Banks Are Playing Hardball On Debt Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

African development banks are locked in a dispute with African nations like Ghana and Zambia over deals to restructure their debts. As the countries finalize debt relief agreements with foreign lenders under the G20’s Common Framework, banks like Afreximbank and TDB are pushing back against deals forcing them to take losses saying it puts the future of African investment at risk.

Bloomberg Reporter Matthew Hill joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what’s behind the dispute, what the bank’s leaders have been saying and whether a deal will eventually be done
For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

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Have US Tariffs Thwarted South Africa’s G20 Presidency? Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

G20 finance ministers met in Zimbali in South Africa this week, but even with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent skipping the event - Donald Trump's trade policy dominated discussions at the expense of President Ramphosa’s agenda.

In this episode Jennifer Zabasajja speaks to South Africa Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago about the impact of the global trade war, and Bloomberg Economist Yvonne Mhango joins Jennifer to explain how the latest moves on tariffs are affecting countries in Africa.
For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

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Can West Africa Capitalize On The Growing Demand For Coffee Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

Demand for coffee is growing globally - but despite much of it being grown on the continent, very little is roasted locally to be sold and drunk there. West African Entrepreneur Hadi Beydoun wants to change that.

In this week’s special episode of the Next Africa Podcast, Jennifer Zabasajja heads to Abidjan in the Ivory Coast to meet Hadi, the founder of Café Continent, to find out how he’s planning to bring homegrown, home-roasted coffee to the African market.

Then Bloomberg’s Soft Commodities reporter Mumbi Gitau gives her analysis of the state of the global coffee market and Africa’s place in it.

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will The US End The War Between Congo and Rwanda? Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have agreed to bring an end to conflict in eastern Congo, where millions of people have died and multitudes have been displaced over the past three decades. But fighting continues and scores of armed groups continue to control parts of the region.

In this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s Congo reporter Michael Kavanagh joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain how this deal came about now, what role the US and access to minerals played in the talks and what hope this deal has of leading to a lasting peace

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How US Aid Cuts Left The Fight Against HIV In Crisis Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, has told Bloomberg that US cuts to foreign aid have left the global fight against HIV in crisis.
Bloomberg healthcare reporter Janice Kew joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain what the reality is on the ground for HIV treatment in Africa, a continent that is home to 75% of all people living with the virus, and where alternative sources of funding could come from.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Kenyans Are Back on the Streets: Protests, Corruption, and a Crisis of Trust Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

A year since deadly protests against the Kenyan government saw more than 60 people killed, Kenyans are again taking to the streets to protest police brutality.

These protests, triggered by the death of a kenyan activist in police custody, come as the IMF arrive in the country to assess Kenya's attempts to tackle corruption.

On this week’s episode East Africa Bureau Chief Helen Nyambura joins Jennifer Zabasajja to discuss what’s behind these new protests, and whether President Ruto can actually tackle corruption and do a deal with the IMF to turn the economy around.

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

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A US Tax With Big Consequences For Africa Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

US President Donald Trump is proposing a 3.5% tax on remittances by non-citizens as part of the Republican tax bill currently working through the Senate.

On today’s episode of the Next Africa podcast we look at why this proposal could have major repercussions for African economies, particularly Nigeria, one of the world’s biggest recipients of remittances.

Jennifer Zabasajja is joined by Dr Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, the founder of New York based 8B Education Investments, and hears how this makes America less attractive to Africa’s brightest students, and Nigeria Bureau Chief Anthony Osae Brown explains how reliant Nigeria is on remittances especially ofF the back of USAID cuts.

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Billion-Dollar Potential of African Sport in the Diaspora Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

The return of the Unity Cup after 21 years electrified London’s Brentford Stadium, drawing record crowds and reigniting diasporan pride. With planning already underway for the 2026 edition, the tournament is more than just a celebration of African football. It’s emerging as a catalyst for global connection and economic opportunity.

This week, host Tiwa Adebayo sits down with Bloomberg reporters Olatomiwa Tobi and Nduka Orjinmo to explore how sport is becoming a powerful force in uniting African communities abroad, as well as a billion-dollar opportunity for brands willing to invest.

(Regular host Jennifer Zabasajja returns next week.)

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Inside Story Of Ramaphosa's Encounter with Trump May 30, 2025

Show notes

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Washington last week to ease tensions amid a barrage of criticism from President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly spread false claims that there’s a genocide against White people in Africa’s most industrialized economy. Ramaphosa was intent on focusing on trade relations — the US is the country’s second-largest trading partner after China — but the US leader quickly turned the meeting into an interrogation. Bloomberg's South Africa Government Reporter S'thembile Cele was in the room and recounts the full story of the face-to-face Oval Office meeting.

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