How Africa’s Energy Shortage Holds Back its Industrial Revolution
Africa is the least electrified continent in the world, where funding major power infrastructure has become far harder, grids are decrepit and state utilities are often broken. The result is that Africa cannot industrialize on a scale anywhere near what’s needed to create jobs for its young population, which by 2050 will nearly double to 2.5 billion, or a quarter of all humanity. On this week’s podcast, our energy reporter Paul Burkhardt joins Jennifer Zabasajja to talk through the data showing the scale of Africa’s energy crisis. Then Jennifer hears from Dr Owen Omogiafo, CEO of Nigerian power giant Transcorp, and one of the speakers at the Bloomberg Africa Business Summit, about what role the private sector has in turning this around.You can read Bloomberg’s Big Take on Africa’s Energy shortage here, and subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Why Africa’s Rainforests Are Reaching a Tipping Point
At COP30 in Brazil, scientists have warned that the Congo Basin, a region of tropical forest larger than India, is at a point where further damage may rob the world of a crucial bulwark against climate change. On this week’s episode, Jennifer Zabasajja is joined by Senior Africa Reporter Antony Sguazzin and Bloomberg Opinion Climate Columnist Lara Williams to discuss why the Congo Basin is so important to tackling climate change, what support African leaders are calling for and whether this COP summit will actually deliver any substantial action. You can read our coverage of COP30 here, and sign up for the Next Africa Newsletter here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Why Is Trump Threatening Military Action In Nigeria?
US President Donald Trump has threatened to freeze aid to Nigeria and take military action unless its government stops what he’s called the killing of “very large numbers” of Christians by jihadists. On this week’s episode, Deputy Managing Editor for Middle East and Africa Neil Munshi, and reporter Nduka Orjinmo join Jennifer Zabasajja to explain where this claim comes from, what the reaction has been in Nigeria, and the challenge facing the west African nation’s government as it works out how to respond to President Trump.You can read Neil and Nduka’s piece on Bloomberg now, and you can subscribe to the Next Africa Newsletter here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Can Africa reverse the trend of No Contest Elections?
Election wins for incumbents in Cameroon and Ivory Coast, where key opposition figures were banned from standing, have raised warnings over the state of democracy in a number of African nations. One academic has warned of the rise of ‘democratic dictators’ which could create fertile ground for coups. On this week’s episode, senior reporter Yinka Ibukun joins Jennifer Zabasajja to talk through the latest round of elections across Africa, and how gen z voters frustrated with their lack of choices may respond. For more stories from the region, you can subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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What DeepSeek’s Competitive Edge in Africa Means for the AI Race
Chinese tech companies Huawei and DeepSeek are teaming up to offer cloud computing and AI services. And they’re pitching African startups on using their offerings over their Western competitors like OpenAI in a bid to get an early foothold in the African tech scene. In a special episode from Bloomberg’s Big Take and Next Africa podcasts, reporters Loni Prinsloo and Helen Nyambura join hosts Sarah Holder and Jennifer Zabasajja to describe the pitch, how it’s landing and what it could mean for the global AI race. Read more: DeepSeek’s Surge in Africa Reveals China’s AI Power GrabSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Each week, Jennifer Zabasajja provides a deep dive into the business stories that shape Africa. Join Jennifer and our Bloomberg reporters as they lift the lid on the news driving the continent.
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