← Next Africa
Can Botswana Survive the Lab-Grown Diamond Boom? artwork

Can Botswana Survive the Lab-Grown Diamond Boom?

Next Africa
15:17
Play episode

Show notes

Botswana became one of the richest countries in Africa because it's the world's biggest producer of diamonds by value -- but with lab-grown gems soaring in popularity, the sparsely-populated desert nation is facing a social and economic existential crisis President Boko has pledged to diversify the economy away from its over-reliance on a single resource, but the changes may have come too late. On this week’s episode, Bloomberg’s Matthew Hill and Botswana-based reporter Mbongeni Mguni join Jennifer Zabasajja to discuss their latest reporting from the region, and what the impact of the diamond slump looks like on the ground in Botswana. For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More from this show

More
  1. How Nigeria’s Top Film Producers Are Branching Out Worldwide

    Nigeria’s film industry is big business - second only to India in the number of films produced annually. The films generate huge audiences in Nigeria - and many believe there’s an…

    19:04
  2. How Rwanda Won The Race To Host Africa’s F1

    Formula 1 will return to Africa, with a first race set to take place in Rwanda in the early 2030s. The East African nation will host the F1 African Grand Prix under a 10-year agree…

    14:11
  3. Why fighting in the Horn of Africa risks a new Red Sea conflict

    Ethiopian troops have regained control of the city of Mekelle, the capital of the country’s northern Tigray region - after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front - the TPLF had seize…

    15:52
  4. Why South Africa’s Fight Against Violent Crime Is Failing

    The discovery of 11 women’s bodies in and around Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, has horrified South Africans. Then the last few days provided a stark reminder of the country's v…

    17:04
  5. Can Dangote’s IPO Live Up to The Hype?

    Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has finally launched the much anticipated IPO of part of his refinery business, and it's generated so much hype that many investment apps were…

    24:50
  6. Replay: China's Growing Grip on Africa's EV Fastlane

    We wanted to bring you one of our favourite episodes from the last 12 months this week. In Ethiopia, the share of electric vehicles on the road has jumped to 6% from just 1% after…

    18:42
Now Playing
Can Botswana Survive the Lab-Grown Diamond Boom? — Next Africa | Podcast | Josplay Music