BBC Launches New Documentary Strand Africa Eye

The BBC has launched a brand new documentary strand, Africa Eye, today, April 30.

The new strand promises to deliver up to 20 original documentaries each year, with the first being an in-depth investigation into the plague of addiction to cough mixture across Nigeria.

The exclusive undercover investigation, produced by Africa Eye and BBC Pidgin, will reveal senior figures in Nigeria's pharmaceutical industry who are moving their legally produced products via the back door of their factories and into the hands of drug dealers who sell the dangerously addictive opioid for the price of a bottle of cola.

As part of the expansion of the BBC World Service, the BBC has committed to to invest in original content for Africa in English, French, Swahili and Hausa. Africa Eye will create a network of trained investigative journalists across the continent. They will also work with independent journalists and each episode will be 30 minutes to an hour long.

The episodes are available from midnight on 30 April on BBC channels, BBC Africa YouTube and BBC Pidgin.