West African leaders gave Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso six months to reconsider a withdrawal from the regional economic bloc in a final attempt to avoid its fracture. But with the military-led, Russia-aligned countries setting up their own bloc - the Alliance of Sahel States - is the future of West Africa more one of disunity than unity?

Bloomberg’s West Africa Reporter Katarina Hoije joins Jennifer Zabasajja to explain why the countries want to leave ECOWAS and what the future looks like for West Africa diplomacy

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The swift collapse of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria threatens a key Russian airbase in the country that Moscow has depended on to project influence throughout Africa. On this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s Simon Marks and Katarina Hoije join Jennifer Zabasajja to explain why these bases are so crucial to operations in Africa - and whether the regimes they are supporting have a plan B, if russia leaves them behind

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each year, up to 12 million young Africans enter the workforce, but only about three million formal jobs are available. So many Nigerians have left Africa's most populous country in recent years, the Yoruba term "japa" -- or escape -- has become shorthand for young people desperate to put their skills to use. After President Biden’s visit to Angola celebrating infrastructure investment - could the west be doing more to help Africa make the most of it’s talent rather than losing it to places like the UK, US and Canada?

Author, journalist and Bloomberg columnist Ciku Kimeria joins Jennifer Zabasajja to talk about her latest piece on the issue, why so many people are choosing to leave and what future she hopes her young daughter will grow in to

For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.