Download What is Russia's shadow fleet doing in African waters?
A vessel carrying Russian oil suffered an explosion off the coast of Senegal last December, prompting investigations into the presence of a Russian shadow fleet in African waters. The tanker is reportedly among several vessels trying to flout US, EU and UK sanctions on Russia.
And - even though the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is over, several incidents from the tournament hosted by Morocco have raised questions about African identity.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Basma El Atti and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
Published on Wednesday, 4th February 2026.
Available Podcasts from Focus on Africa
We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Focus on Africa webpage.