Africa Here and NOW

One in four people in the world will soon be African, and the majority will be under 30, urban, and digitally connected. We discuss with MICHELLE GAVIN how the demographic shift represents a new era for the continent —one that is already shaking the foundations of long-standing political power.Is this wave of popular demand a recipe for chaos or democratic renewal? Listen to find out why the "old playbook" for African politics is obsoleteThe conversation explores the transformative potential of Africa's youth in shaping the continent's political landscape. With a significant portion of the population being young and urban, there is a growing demand for change that challenges the existing political elite. The discussion delves into the implications of demographic shifts, economic challenges, migration patterns, and the role of external actors in Africa's future. It highlights the potential for both unrest and democratic renewal as young people assert their rights and seek opportunities for a better life.takeawaysOne in every four of the world's population will be African.Political volatility is going to shake up the region.Young people are increasingly urban and connected.Demographic dividend comes when the transition comes.Migration is going to be a part of the story.The future of work is uncertain for Africa.External actors are not the main factor driving change.Violence and unrest will happen, but not everywhere.Senegal could end up as an upholder of constitutionalism.We can learn a lot from these young societies.Michelle Gavin's book: How Urban Youth are Transforming African Politics

Standard Chartered Bank's Zambia CEO, SONNY ZULU, shares his journey from aspiring medical doctor, to metallurgist in his country's copper mines to the boss of one of the top banks. He discusses the importance of leadership and management skills, the challenges of job creation in Zambia, which he says, is a collective responsibility, not just for government. This is particularly crucial for a country like Zambia which has a median age of just 17. We talk about the bank's role in fostering economic growth. Sonny says the bank's focus is on empowering marginalised communities, especially women and young people. Training in financial management is as important as giving grants, he says, for successful entrepreneurship. I ask Sonny about the impact on African economies of American tariffs. He stresses the importance of intra-African trade. He identifies energy as one of the country's greatest challenges going forward, which is essential to fuel the ambitious increase in copper production which has been outlined by the government. Finally, Sonny tells us about his biggest professional mistake....We used data and graphics from KASI INSIGHT, Africa's leading decision intelligence company. They provide data-driven insights by combining high frequency data with AI to unpack markets.Chapters:00:00 From Medicine to Metallurgy: A Career Journey04:55 The Importance of Leadership and Management Skills10:45 Creating Jobs and Economic Growth15.05 Standard Chartered's Role in Economic Development19:56 Navigating the Retail Banking Landscape30:28 Impact of Global Tariffs on African Economies34:00 Learning from Mistakes: A Leadership Perspective

Former Zambian minister, DR DORA SILIYA, lifts the lid on the politics of her country. She reveals the vicious campaigns waged against her in the Zambian press and the accusations that she had slept her way to the top. In her book 'Minding My Father's Country' she recounts how she managed to navigate the turbulence of Zambian political life from a young age. "Even just getting the party to adopt me, to put my name on the ballot paper..was so difficult. I just felt I was being discriminated because I'm a woman."During her two decades in politics, DR SILIYA headed six ministries. "I had some of the worst headlines that you've ever heard of. I remember people saying the reason she's always appointed minister is because she uses her 'back power'."At one point, she was even arrested: "I was arrested purely because I made a very tough decision, which I thought was the right decision, supported by two presidents, Levy Mwanawasa and Rupiah Banda. We needed to sell a stake in the national telecoms because it was not doing well...Even when the final transaction was done, I wasn't there at all. It was one of the saddest periods of my time."Since writing the book, DORA says, many women have told her how afraid they are of entering Zambian politics. "It's too much because instead of issues, people believe that it must be about you the person."Zambia, she says, is becoming increasingly polarised along ethnic, tribal lines, and this she contends, couold be catastrophic for the country that has enjoyed more than 60 years of peace. "I think for the first time in my life this tribal tension is is real...whether it's the Tongas versus the Bembas, the Bembas and the Easterners...it is quite dangerous. If we are not careful, this is the first time we would have a civil war in this country."Corruption is another of DORA's concerns: "Corruption is endemic in Zambia...it has become such a way of life that people expect to pay at the traffic stop, they expect to pay to get their passport on time, they expect to pay somebody at the hospital to get an appointment quickly.."Minding My Father's Country by Dora Siliya, Reach Publishers

In this exclusive interview, President Hakainde Hichilema discusses his transition from businessman to the highest political office in Zambia. He reflects on his motivations for entering politics, saying it became clear to him that sound economic policies were vital to allow businesses to flourish, leading to job creation and better opportunities for the Zambian people.'We can't share poverty', he says. 'We can't redistribute nothing'. President Hichilema speaks of the challenges faced during his tenure, including the Covid pandemic and the worst drought in living memory. A year before the next presidential election, he outlines the strategies he has implemented for economic recovery and the achievements of his administration so far, which include bringing two million children back into education. He discusses his hopes for big increases in copper mining, backed by international investors, and his determination to boost the management and processing of Zambia's raw materials for added value. The president explains how Zambia managed to reduce from 50% to 15% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration - and it didn't involve agreeing to take in people deported from the US. On the controversial issue of the burial of his predecessor, President Hichilema is adamant. The body of Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa, must be returned to Zambia against the wishes of his family. 'The larger family of 20 million Zambians have prescribed how the former president must be buried,' he says. He decries allegations that witchcraft is involved, saying that as a Christian he has never believed in witchcraft. Addressing claims that Zambia is moving towards authoritarianism, President Hichilema denies that the democratic space is shrinking. He says that unlike his predecessors, he hasn't shut down TV or radio stations and election candidates are free to travel anywhere in the country.Finally, explaining why he can often be seen wearing white gloves, the president insists it's because of his belief in the importance of tradition, inherited from the British, rather than membership of any secret society.

We speak to Nigerian author NNAMDI CHIEKWU, a millenial who explains why he's angry and what he plans to do about it. Basically, Nnamdi says he is hugely disappointed with the generations who came before him who have left the African continent in such bad shape that he and his cohort need to lead 'a technocratic revolution' in order to revive its fortunes. He's scathing of earlier generations: 'Why didn't they take up the fight? They didn't have the courage. They wanted to ...ingratiate themselves into a western-led world. They had no confidence...in what...an African-led world looked like.'There's so much to do in a very short time. NNAMDI believes that Africa has a mere 5 years in which to turn itself around or face dire and irreversible consequences. 'We've reached our last chance as Africans, as civilisations. And that last chance is 2030' he says.NNAMDI feels so strongly that he's written a book ' AFRICA ON THE PRECIPICE' in which he lays out his theory of Afro-hegemony - a time when Africa and its peoples will dominate global affairs. But in order to reach that state of greatness, Africa's sub-Saharan nations have to come together as one in a kind of loose federation, Nnamdi says. 'The first thing that needs to happen...is that what we call African countries and governments are really colonial constructions....they were never intended for African innovation, liberation let alone dominance....they have to be collapsed.'NNAMDI puts the case for his generation: '..When we millennials look at the Africa we've inherited, we're saying, why are we listening to you? You people are lost. You don't have a direction. You don't have a plan for us. So we're going to take the power.'In NNAMDI's plan of action, out goes the Africa Union (AU) and in would come the African Defence and Advancement Federation - 'a technocratic entity that is dedicated to the defence and advancement of Africans'.NNAMDI acknowledges that the vast majority of Africans are more concerned with their daily struggles with poverty to buy into his plan, but, he believes, there's a 5% critical mass that is ready. His book, AFRICA ON THE PRECIPICE, is Nnamdi's blueprint. 'History is replete with civilisations that have disappeared...Native Americans, Aborigines, Afro Argentines...none of them know when their end was beginning.'AFRICA ON THE PRECIPICE, by Nnamdi Chiekwu is available on Amazon. It's in audiobook form on Spotify.Find out more about Nnamdi on his website: https://nnamdichiekwu.com

A tiny slice of South Africa's semi-arid Karoo region was painstakingly recreated at this year's Chelsea Flower Show in London. It was the first time such an ambitious project had been undertaken to display the world-famous Karoo succulents at Chelsea's annual Festival of Flowers and Plants. I caught up with ERNST VAN JARSVELDT a master botanist who spent a lifetime nurturing these hardy plants and trees. ERNST's passion for succulents is infectious; his knowledge is second to none. When he's not in London, ERNST is at the Babylonstoren Estate in South Africa's Franschhoek wine vally with its world-renowned botanical diversity.

PETER OBI believes he would have been Nigeria’s president now, were it not for widespread vote rigging at the last election in 2023. It’s a view shared by many of his fellow countrymen and women. In a wide-ranging interview with Africa Here And Now MR OBI confirms that he plans to run again in 2027 and believes that this time the outcome will be different. He says he’s optimistic that people will vote for the best candidate and not cast their ballot on the basis of tribe or religion – accusing the current political elite of deliberately fuelling divisions. “Nigerians will see that we voted religion, we voted tribe, now let's vote competence, capacity,” he says. He feels people would rise up if there were further attempts to manipulate the vote, knowing that failure to do so would lead to more years of hunger, darkness and disappointment. PETER OBI outlines what he would do differently if he were in charge, making education a priority to unleash Nigeria’s potential. He wants to see the country move from consumption to production, bemoaning the fact that 60% of Nigeria’s arable land is currently uncultivated. “We can make more money from agriculture than we can from oil,” he tells us. The former governor of Anambra State – a devout Christian - says despite his personal wealth he has always believed in helping the less privileged in society: “I don’t look down on people unless I am going to pull them up.” Looking east for inspiration, PETER OBI believe Nigeria could learn from the economic boom of recent decades in Asian countries including China, India and Vietnam. He expresses admiration for the former president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, as someone who made his country better. It’s an ambition he holds for his own country and one he hopes to have a chance to fulfil after the next presidential election in Nigeria. We also find out a little about the man behind the politics. Donu asks him who his heroes are and what he is currently reading. We discover that PETER OBI is not given to taking holidays. ‘Can you take a holiday when your house is burning?’ he asks. He likens the situation to the Titanic sinking while people on the upper decks were dancing! Asking the questions with me was DONU KOGBARA, Abuja-based journalist and commentator. We chatted with PETER OBI in Abuja on June 11th 2025.#PeterObi #NigeriaPolitics #2027Elections #GoodGovernance #NigerianGovernment #LeadershipInAfrica #NaijaPolitics #ObidientMovement #AfricanLeadership #ElectionTalks #NigeriaDevelopment

Has the shine come off the idea of democracy in parts of Africa? The continent's latest crop of military leaders seem to be enjoying immense popularity, like Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore. So are Africans prepared to live under the rule of soldiers. Or is there another way?I speak to GILLES YABI, CEO and founder of the West Africa Citizen Think Tank in Dakar. And in Johannesburg, independent political analyst, MARISA LOURENCO. We explore what could be behind the recent spate of m ilitary takeovers in Guinea, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Gabon and ask whether democratic forms of government have had their day on the continent.Both GILLES and MARISA are keen to point out that Africa is not a monolith - each country has had its own distinct circumstances that have led to military coups.Asked why these young coup leaders appear to be so popular, MARISA explains its because they represent a break with the status quo which had failed to deliver prosperity and security. GILLES makes the point that several of the countries that have experienced military coups are experiencing severe insurgencies often by violent Islamist groups. We also consider whether the ruling parties that have come to power after waging an armed struggle for independence, particularly in southern Africa, have managed to transition into parties that uphold democratic values of rule of law, strong institutions and individual freedoms.We are reminded that Afrobarometer polls regularly reveal that a majority of those surveyed are in favour