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&rsquo;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&nbsp; For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/next-africa?sref=OOcVchU0">here</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Is West Africa’s ‘Detty December’ really boosting local economies?

Next Africa is a weekly podcast about where Africa is going and why it matters to everyone.
Each episode tells a story from the continent and follows it through real life, business, politics and culture. From electricity and climate to jobs, migration, technology, sport and music, the podcast looks at the forces shaping daily life and how those changes connect to the wider world.
The show covers challenges and breakthroughs side by side. It explains the impact of energy shortages and climate risk, but also the rise of new industries, creative economies and young entrepreneurs. Stories are reported on the ground and told with clarity, combining data, context and lived experience.
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