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 fear this could become a broader regional war in a Red Sea region vital to global trade that is already facing geopolitical turmoil.

On this week’s episode, Jennifer Zabasajja is joined by East Africa reporter Simon Marks for the latest on the conflict, and Bloomberg’s Trade Tsar Brendan Murray discusses how global trade and shipping are rewiring the region’s supply lines and infrastructure.

Read our latest reporting on Ethiopia, and subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter for more for stories from the region

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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 house in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province.

On this week’s episode, S’thembile Cele joins Jennifer Zabasajja to discuss her reporting on these latest incidents and whether a year after the South African government declared violence against women a national emergency there’s been any sign of any improvement, and how voters could send a message at next month’s municipal elections.

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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 investment of just $4, the firm hopes ordinary Africans will buy shares.

On today’s special episode, Deputy Managing Editor for Africa Neil Munshi joins Jennifer Zabasajja. They hear from Bloomberg's Lagos based reporter Yinka Ibukun about the mood among Nigerians, and then speak to analyst Feyi Fawehinmi about why he’s not convinced by the hype.

Follow all our coverage of the Dangote IPO across Bloomberg platforms, and you can subscribe to the Next Africa Newsletter for more.

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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 Chinese automakers capturing the lion’s share of the market.

On today’s episode, Bloomberg’s Fasika Tadesse joins Jennifer Zabasajja to unpack what this surge looks like on the ground in Addis Ababa, while Asia transport reporter Linda Lew explains why companies like BYD are targeting African markets.

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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 third-best performer.

On this week’s special Next Africa podcast, Tiwa Adebayo is joined by Kenyan investment experts Joel Korir, head of Business Development Retail and Private Wealth at Old Mutual Investment Group in Nairobi and Winnie Koech, head of wealth and investment at Stanbic Bank Kenya. They discuss what's driving Kenya’s markets, where investors see the biggest opportunities, the sectors to watch and risks that could derail the rally.

For more information on investing in Kenya, read our special feature on Where to Invest 10 Million Kenyan Shillings. For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter

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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 farms and generate economic activity, providing evidence that direct cash payments can help communities become more self-reliant and reduce their dependence on aid.

On this week’s Next Africa podcast, Bloomberg’s Antony Sguazzin discusses what he found when he visited the project in Malawi, how researchers will determine whether it’s working, and whether similar programs could be replicated in other impoverished countries.

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Zambia had been the shining light for democracy in sub-Saharan Africa, but president Hichilema's recent reelection has been tainted by accusations of irregularities, the killing of a former minister and what the UN has called arbitrary arrests.

On this week’s Episode, Bloomberg’s Matthew Hill who’s been on the ground in Zambia explains how the election became so controversial, and Nicole Beardsworth from the University of the Witwatersrand discusses her group’s analysis of the voting numbers.

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As the Iran War broke out and the Strait of Hormuz closed, fuel prices surged and supplies became disrupted. The African countries that thought they had supply deals in place found deliveries being cancelled. But the world’s largest oil trader turned the Hormuz crisis to its advantage. Vitol was able to strike exclusive deals to become a dominant supplier of fuel to at least five countries in East and Southern Africa covering more than 180 million people.

On this week’s next Africa podcast, Jennifer Zabasajja is joined by Chief Commodities Correspondent Jack Farchy to discuss his latest investigation into how Vitol was able to strike these deals, how much countries had to pay for security of supply, and just how long the price premium could last.

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