The popularity of podcasts on the African continent is something that is growing especially due to investment. The number of podcasts being released are increasing everyday. Most importantly, the topics being spoken about are a treat for all listeners – presenting nuanced and informed discussions. Here are five podcasts you need to add to your playlist.
Convos & Cocktails with Lesego Tlhabi
One of the best satirists in South Africa, Lesego Tlhabi or better known as Coconut Kelz now has a podcast, Convos & Cocktails. The podcast takes the form of candid conversations around life, love and everything in between. Her tagline is about having the conversations “we, as Black women, want to have . . . but often don’t”. The podcast launched in May 2022 and has focused on a variety of topics and issues. The final episode of season one was released in August 2022 but Tlhabi is sure to return with another season. In the meantime, there are ten episodes filled with great conversations to binge-listen to.
After School Is After School with Sis G.U.
Another must listen is Gugulethu Nyatsumba’s After School Is After School with Sis G.U. Gugulethu Nyatsumba, a full-time content creator from Durban also runs the Uncomfortable Growth Youtube channel. Her podcast aims to speak more openly and honestly about the battles that Gugulethu continues to face in her 20s. The podcast is about fostering a connection with the audience, sharing life lessons and inspiring emotional growth.
F&S Uncensored
From Nigeria, F&S Uncensored covers everything from music, pop culture to personal experiences. The podcast is hosted by Feyikemi Akin-Bankole and Simi Badiru. It has been around for four years with a huge listenership. The podcast offers commentary on trending pop-culture topics and informed opinions on how these topics affect everyday Nigerians. The pair, who are friends from high school and university, have become one of the pioneering female-only Nigerian podcasts. In an interview, Akin-Bankole said: “It can only go up from here. Only. We’re going to take the Nigerian and African podcast industry to the next level. I don’t know how yet, but I believe in us and you should too.”
Nipe Story
From Kenya, Nipe Story is a podcast hosted and narrated by Kenyan writer, journalist, and queer activist Kevin Mwachiro. The podcast aims to give a voice to written African short stories. Kevin Mwachiro provides a platform for African writers to have their short stories heard. It is a fortnightly podcast and has been releasing episodes since 2017. In an interview, Mwachiro said: “I believe it is our time to shout out about our Africanness, it is our time to reclaim how we have been made to believe about ourselves, our realities and our history…It is important for us to claim our stories, tell our stories, using our words, the way that reflects our realities.”
Up To The Tusk
Award-winning podcast company Volume Africa has many different podcasts. Up to the Tusk takes a deep dive into the daily counter-poaching operations implemented by the rangers of the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique. The podcast takes a deep dive into the daily counter-poaching operations implemented at the park. It also focuses on the rangers who have to spend weeks and months away from their families and loved ones to play their critical role in conservation management and protection.
Honourable mentions:
‘I will not grow old here’ – a three-podcast series that focuses on South Africa’s growing inequality through the voice of a young South African.
What The Relationship – a relatable and quirky look at relationships from the point of view of millenials.
The Critical Stans – The Daily Vox’s pop culture and politics podcast.
