Got a TV Licence?

You need one to watch live TV on any channel or device, and BBC programmes on iPlayer. It’s the law.

Find out more
I don’t have a TV Licence.

Live Reporting

Hugo Williams and Farouk Chothia

All times stated are UK

Get involved

  1. Scroll down for today's stories

    We'll be back tomorrow

    We're ending the BBC Africa Live page a little early today to say farewell to our colleague Naziru Mikailu, who is returning to Nigeria to work from our Abuja bureau. 

    We'll be back tomorrow morning. Until then, keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast or checking the BBC News website

    A reminder of today's wise words:

    Quote Message: If you shut your mouth tightly so as not to speak the truth, your nose will speak it." from An Oromo proverb sent by Adamu Tesfaye, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
    An Oromo proverb sent by Adamu Tesfaye, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    Click here to send us your African proverbs.

    And we leave you with this photo of children playing in a neighbourhood of South Africa's Cape Town city:

    Children play in Happy Valley, Cape Town, South Africa, 05 May 2016
  2. Nigeria attack on oil facility

    Mary Harper

    Africa editor, BBC World Service

    Security officials in Nigeria say militants have attacked a Chevron oil platform in the Niger Delta region. 

    The militants are reported to have badly damaged equipment that allowed oil to flow from facility to another. 

    A group called the Niger Delta Avengers said it blew up the platform. 

    There has been an increase in sea piracy and militancy in the Niger Delta in recent months.

  3. Cameroon tablet monitors heart diseases

    A newly developed tablet, Cardiopad, is helping doctors make early diagnoses of heart-related diseases in Cameroon. 

    Experts say the device, fully developed in the Central African nation, is beginning to make a difference in patient care in rural areas.

    This report by the BBC's Mamadou Moussa Ba was produced in partnership with Cameroon's Canal 2 International TV station:  

    Video content

    Video caption: Cameroon tablet helps monitor heart diseases
  4. DR Congo presidential candidate 'barricaded'

    Dr Congo football tycoon Moise Katumbi says he is barricaded in his home - a day after he announced he will be running for the presidency, currently held by Joseph Kabila. 

    The millionaire owner of TP Mazembe has tweeted: 

  5. Mozambique crisis over aid cut

    Mary Harper

    Africa editor, BBC World Service

    A child walks down a street in the Macuti nighborhood, on June 12, 2015 in Ilha de Mozambique
    Image caption: Mozambique is one of the poorest states in Africa

    Mozambique's government says the recent suspension of foreign aid to the country will have a drastic effect on the economy. 

    Many donors withheld payments after the government failed to disclose more than $1bn (£690m) worth of debt. 

    Finance Minister Adriano Maleiane said the country would lose about 12% of its budget. 

    He said there would be a freeze on the recruitment of new civil servants, public services would be cut and less fuel imported.

  6. Zuma condemns parliamentary 'antics'

    South African President, Jacob Zuma, delivers a speech at the South African Parliament as most of the opposition parties were boycotted or suspended from the sitting, on May 5, 2016, in Cape Town

    South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has called for an end to "theatre and antics" in parliament, saying it has damaged the nation's image abroad, Reuters news agency reports. 

    Opposition parties boycotted Mr Zuma's speech, saying in a joint statement that they wanted to send a strong message to South Africans that they would not allow Mr Zuma to "trample on the constitution, ignore court rulings and then come to parliament and ask for more money for his office", Reuters reports. 

  7. Four freed from beneath rubble in Kenya

    Charlotte Attwood

    BBC Africa

    Another person has been rescued alive from under the rubble of a six-storey building which collapsed on Friday in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. 

    This brings to four the number freed today. 

  8. Burundi police: 451 killed in unrest

    A total of 451 people have been killed in Burundi since unrest broke out in April 2015 over President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to run for for a third term,  AFP news agency quotes a police report as saying. 

    The number included 374 civilians and  77 police officers, the report said. 

    A man walks through paving stones and a tire fire during protests against the governing party on June 26, 2015 in Bujumbura, Burundi
    Image caption: Most of the unrest has taken place in the capital, Bujumbura

    It added that 59 officers had been jailed over the last year for "serious misconduct", without giving details.

    Opposition activists and rights groups have repeatedly accused police of using excessive force to crush protests against Mr Nkurunziza's rule.

  9. BreakingTwo more survivors pulled out of Nairobi rubble

    Anne Soy

    BBC Africa, Nairobi

    Rescuers have pulled out another two people alive from the rubble of the collapsed building in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, bringing to three the number rescued today. 

    See our 14:28 entry

  10. Sacked cartoonist Gado honoured

    Gado signature in cartoon form

    Renowned Kenya cartoonist Godfrey Mwapembwa, known by his pen name Gado, has won the 2016 International Editorial Cartoons Prize, sharing the award with the Malaysian cartoonist Zunar.

    Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan presented the influential satirist with the award at a ceremony in Switzerland.

    Gado who was sacked by Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper in February without explanation, has previously told the BBC his dismissal was politically motivated.

    He is one of the most popular cartoonists in East Africa, often poking fun at the elite.

    Prize jury member Patrick Chappatte explained why the two cartoonists had been chosen:

    "For having had the courage to draw the king naked, Gado and Zunar are faced with a power machine that seeks to silence them. What this Prize seeks to do is just the opposite: to amplify their voices, which are those of democracy and justice."  

    View more on twitter

    Despite his sacking from the Daily Nation, Gado continues to publish cartoons on his personal website, like the one below, satirising the largest ever ivory bonfire, which took place on Saturday in Kenya:

    View more on twitter
  11. Etoile and TP Mazembe seek consolation in Confederation Cup

    African club giants Etoile Sahel and TP Mazembe launch their Confederation Cup challenges this weekend at the play-offs stage of a competition they wanted to avoid.

    Etoile of Tunisia and Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo began the 2016 season in the African Champions League, the most prestigious and richest club event on the African calendar.

    TP Mazembe flag

    Read the full BBC Sport story

  12. Citizen journalism in Africa's biggest slum

    One of Africa's largest slums has become the home to a burgeoning community of child citizen journalists.

    Young residents of Kibera in Nairobi are being taught how to make DIY magazines known as zines - which paint an intriguing picture of their lives outside the Kenyan capital.

    Watch the video below: 

    Video content

    Video caption: Citizen journalists in Kenya's biggest slum

    Zinester.org is a project co-founded by Harrison Thans and Tom Grass

  13. 'Rabbits raised hopes' of Kenya rescuers

    The head of rescue operations in Kenya has said that his hopes of finding more people alive under the rubble of the collapsed building in Nairobi had grown on Wednesday, following the discovery of several rabbits who had survived the incident, AFP news agency reports. 

    Pius Masai was speaking earlier after a woman trapped beneath the rubble of the building was freed six days after the collapse. 

    AFP quotes him as saying:  

    Quote Message: I told you the day we got nine rabbits alive from this place I was sure we will get more people alive
    Quote Message: I am glad we got her out safely and that is our determination, to pull out as many people as possible who are still trapped under the rubble."

    The Kenya Red Cross has shared a photo of the auspicious animals on its Twitter feed:

    View more on twitter
  14. SA opposition boycotts parliament

    Eight South African opposition parties have boycotted a speech given by President Jacob Zuma in parliament, Reuters news agency reports. 

    The move comes after security officers yesterday forcibly removed from parliament MPs from the left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)  as they were trying to block Mr Zuma from speaking.   

    outh African opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters MPs are pushed out of a parliament session during the South African president"s budget speech in Cape Town on May 4, 2016.

    Today, the EFF, the main opposition Democratic Alliance, and six smaller parties boycotted the parliamentary session in which Mr Zuma called for more orderly debate in the chamber, Reuters reports. 

    The opposition has been pushing for Mr Zuma to step down after two damning court rulings against him.

    Last week, a High Court judge said he should be should be charged with corruption related to a multi-billion dollar arms deal. 

    Last month, the Constitutional Court said he had breached the constiution by failing to repay some of the $23m (£15m) of public money used to upgrade his private home with a swimming pool, amphitheatre, chicken run and cattle enclosure. 

    Mr Zuma denies any wrongdoing.

  15. Kenya woman 'taken to hospital'

    Kenya woman

    The woman who has been rescued after being trapped for six days under the rubble of a collapsed building in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, has been taken to hospital, rescue operations official Maasai Mwachi has said, reports the BBC's Anthony Irungu from the scene.

    There is still hope of finding more people alive, Mr Wachi added. 

    He said that 36 people have been confirmed dead, 136 have been pulled out alive, and 70 are still unacounted for. 

    Read: Why do buildings collapse? 

  16. Nigerian politicians worried about kidnappings

    Chris Ewokor

    BBC Africa, Abuja

    There have been suggestions in Nigeria that senators are pushing for the death sentence to be imposed for kidnapping because politicians are increasingly being targeted. 

    Just last week, former government minister Iyabo Anisulowo was abducted before being freed. 

    In February, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s 75-year-old foster father, Chief Inegite Jonathan, was kidnapped. 

    In many instances, victims are released after negotiations with the ransom-demanding kidnappers but there have been some cases of hostages being killed.

    Kidnapping cuurently carries a sentence of five to 10 years in prison. 

    See our 09:10 post for more details 

  17. Using radio to help combat outbreaks in West Africa

    One of the key challenges posed by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the lack of public access to accurate information about the virus.

    The BBC, in collaboration with its international development charity BBC Media action, worked with local partners to produce special coverage to boost awareness about the virus. 

    BBC Media Action also teamed up with the UN children's fund (Unicef) in Benin during the outbreak to train media and relief agencies in "Lifeline" communication, to help keep people informed during humanitarian emergencies.

    Now they're using the same approach to help tackle Lassa fever, a dangerous viral disease endemic in Benin. You can follow updates on the project throughout the week on their Instagram feed (see below): 

    View more on instagram
  18. Kenyan woman 'pulled out' from rubble

    Kenyan rescue workers have now freed the woman who was trapped for six days beneath the rubble of a six-storey building which collapsed in the capital, Nairobi, reports the BBC's Anthony Irungu from the scene. 

  19. Kenyan rescuers 'stop using heavy equipment to free woman'

    A Kenyan journalist at the scene of the rescue operation for a woman trapped in the rubble of the collapsed building in Nairobi, has been speaking to the BBC's Outside Source radio programme. 

    Listen to the update below:

    Video content

    Video caption: CCTV News Africa reporter Robert Nagila at the scene of the building collapse in Nairobi
  20. Tunisian mobile gamers win a cow

    BBC Monitoring

    A couple in Tunisia have walked away with an unusual prize - a cow - after they recorded the top score in a locally developed mobile phone game, local media report.

    Pamela the cow spent two weeks at the game developer's headquarters in Tunis before being awarded to the unnamed couple at the beginning of May, the Tuniscope news website says.

    The pair triumphed in a strategy game called Bagra - literally "cow" - which consists of keeping a herd of cows and preventing other players from stealing them, while trying to pinch as many as possible from other herds, Shems FM radio reports.

    Pamela the cow
    Image caption: Pamela the cow awaits her new owners at the gaming company's headquarters

    Read the full BBC News story here