The BBC World Service is turning up the volume on African storytelling, and the continent is stepping into a bigger spotlight than ever before.
In a bold move to deepen its connection with African audiences and amplify regional voices on the global stage, the BBC has announced major expansions across its programming and editorial footprint, anchored by a brand-new production hub in Nairobi.
Starting December 1, the flagship breakfast program Newsday will debut a refreshed co-hosting format. Veteran journalist Anne Soy will broadcast live from Nairobi, joining Rob Young and James Copnall in London.
Audiences can expect the same fast-paced reports, real-time updates, and interviews but now with storytelling shaped closer to the communities it represents.
Soy, who brings over 20 years of boots-on-the-ground reporting experience, expressed excitement about elevating stories that resonate deeply across the region.
A respected voice in African journalism, she joined the BBC in 2013 and has since served as Senior Africa Correspondent and Deputy Africa Editor.
But that is only the beginning.
On December 2, the BBC’s flagship Africa-focused daily podcast Focus on Africa officially relocates from London to Nairobi.
The relaunch will kick off with a special edition recorded for BBC News Africa’s YouTube audience, hosted by Nkechi Ogbonna.
Ogbonna described the shift as a chance to strengthen the bond between the program and its listeners, ensuring the heartbeat of African stories originates directly from the continent.
Television is also part of the transformation. Focus on Africa TV, presented by Waihiga Mwaura, will now be produced entirely in Nairobi with Lagos joining the network as a secondary production center, reinforcing West Africa’s presence in the BBC’s editorial ecosystem.
BBC Africa Regional Director Juliet Njeri emphasized that this evolution reflects the organization’s commitment to telling Africa’s stories with nuance, proximity, and authenticity.
She highlighted that these upgrades support the BBC’s goal of defining a news model that places regional storytelling at its core.
The expansion into Nairobi is just one part of the BBC’s broader operational restructuring, rolled out earlier this year.
Under the new model, six regional directors all based outside the UK oversee editorial and production teams. This decentralization signals a clear message: global news must be shaped by global voices.
With Africa’s creative, political, cultural, and social landscape influencing global conversations more than ever, the BBC’s strengthened presence positions the continent at the center of its storytelling where it has long deserved to be.