BBC World Service expands Africa-Based operations under global restructuring

The BBC World Service has announced a set of programming changes aimed at moving more journalism closer to audiences in Africa, strengthening regional storytelling and widening the presence of African perspectives across its global news platforms.

As part of the transition, Newsday - the BBC World Service’s flagship global news programme - will adopt a co-presentation model between London and Nairobi, with a new team being established in Kenya. Presenter Anne Soy will anchor the show from Nairobi alongside Rob Young and James Copnall in London. The new format goes live on December 1.

The BBC is also relocating its Focus on Africa podcast from London to Nairobi, aligning it with the existing TV production unit. The daily podcast will continue to cover key developments from across the continent, with an additional visualised episode releasing every Friday. Lead presenter Nkechi Ogbonna will front the weekly in-depth conversation, which will also appear on the BBC News Africa YouTube channel.

The Focus on Africa TV programme, hosted by Waihiga Mwaura, will retain its tone and editorial grounding but undergo a refresh with updated formats and an enhanced digital-first approach. Production will fully shift to Nairobi, supported by teams working across Nairobi and Lagos.

The BBC says these changes are part of a broader reorganisation of its global operations designed to deepen local relevance and expand reach. Juliet Njeri, Regional Director for Africa, noted that the network reaches about 120 million people weekly across the continent and aims to build stronger connections with its audiences through regionally grounded content.

The updated Focus on Africa formats will launch on December 2 across the BBC’s international radio, digital and podcast platforms.