Global Initiative flags West Africa for cocaine trade episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 20, 2026 · 22 MIN

Global Initiative flags West Africa for cocaine trade

from Focus on Africa · host BBC World Service

A recent report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime reveals that a third of cocaine consumed in Europe is transported via West Africa. Since 2019, the region has become a key global hub for cocaine smuggling from Latin America to markets in Europe and Asia, according to the organisation. We look at how the region gained this reputation as a hub of global trafficking. Also Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia are among African countries where internet blackouts have been witnessed recently. We explore the technologies and techniques that youth in these countries are using to stay online.Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 20, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Global Initiative flags West Africa for cocaine trade

0:00 22:59

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Focus on Africa?

This episode is 22 minutes long.

When was this Focus on Africa episode published?

This episode was published on January 20, 2026.

Can I download this Focus on Africa episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!