Next Africa

About 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.

Publisher

Bloomberg

Category

business · news

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

10 Apr 2024

Latest episode

16 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

119 of 131 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   16 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   How Rwanda Won The Race To Host Africa’s F1

   Jennifer Zabasajja interviews Bloomberg Senior Africa Reporter Loni Prinsloo about how Rwanda secured the bid to host Africa's F1 Grand Prix, exploring the country's preparations and the sportswashing accusations.

2. 

   9 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

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

   Jennifer Zabasajja interviews East Africa reporter Simon Marks and Bloomberg Trade Tsar Brendan Murray about how the Horn of Africa conflict threatens Red Sea trade routes.

3. 

   2 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why South Africa’s Fight Against Violent Crime Is Failing

   Jennifer Zabasajja interviews S'thembile Cele about South Africa's escalating violent crime and the lack of progress since declaring violence against women a national emergency.

Inside a recent episode

How Rwanda Won The Race To Host Africa’s F1

Published 16 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Welcome back. Today on the podcast, we're discussing Rwanda's successful bid to bring Formula One back to Africa. Not everyone, though, is celebrating the decision. Neil Munshi, our Deputy Managing Editor for Africa, joins me now to discuss why that is. Neil, thanks so much for being with us. So we were just speaking to Loni about the bid and the ultimate announcement and winning by Rwanda, but alongside Not everyone is happy with the choice to award the Grand Prix to the country. Can you just speak to why the choice of Rwanda is controversial for some people and some onlookers? Rwanda has been... for years, a development darling, very well known as this very technocratic government. […]

Who has been a guest on Next Africa

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Loni Prinsloo
• Neil Munshi
• Simon Marks
• Brendan Murray
• S'thembile Cele

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.4 / 5

192 ratings

Spotify

4.2 / 5

30 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 60 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

94

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

66

Contact Next Africa

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Next Africa