That's all for now from the BBC Africa Live team, but we'll be back on Monday morning.

Until then there will be an automated service here but you can find the latest updates on the BBC News website, or listen to our Africa Today podcast.

A reminder of Friday's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this picture of Kenyan socialite Shariffa Wambui staging a Valentine's Day performance in the Kibera slum in the capital, Nairobi. It's from our selection of the best pictures from Africa this week.

Image source, Getty Images

DJ Edu
Presenter of This Is Africa on BBC World Service

Image source, Bisa Kdei

Bisa Kdei’s new album has been four years in the making.

It was meant to come out sooner, but covid got in the way, and now felt like the right time for a piece of work that Bisa Kdei tells me is the story of his personal experience and emotions since he broke through as an artist a decade ago:

“I didn’t think of any other title than Original because this is coming straight from my heart.”

It’s primarily in the first song Next Chapter that Bisa Kdei bares his soul.

The lyrics talk about the fact that the very same day in 2015 that Bisa Kdei dropped his hit song Mansa was also the day his mother died.

Unfortunately the coincidence led some to jump to deeply hurtful conclusions:

“People started insinuating, they started saying a lot of things, that I used my mum, you know, this juju stuff, and it really got to me, and I really wanted to talk about it but I couldn’t find a proper time to talk about it but I think the time is now.”

Bisa Kdei says he is over the hurt now, and is keen to point out that there’s lots of variety in the album, other songs are about love, partying and happiness.

Original is a departure for Bisa Kdei when it comes to sound. He’s known for songs like Brother, Jwe and of course Mansa, which are clearly heavily indebted to highlife.

He says the song which best demonstrates the new sound he was aiming for is his collaboration with footballer Memphis Depay. It’s called Drinks On Me.

You can hear the full conversation between Bisa Kdei and DJ Edu on This is Africa this Saturday, on BBC World Service radio and partner stations across Africa, as well as online here: BBCworldservice.com/thisisafrica

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has denied a rumour that it had relaxed its policy of withdrawing the old 500 and 1000 naira banknotes amid widespread anger and confusion over a shortage of new notes.

In line with President Muhammadu Buhari's announcement on Thursday, the bank will only "reissue and recirculate the old N200 banknote," which will be used as legal tender until 10 April this year, the statement said.

The shortage of new banknotes has triggered violent protests and raids on banks as frustrated Nigerians try to get their money.

There were chaotic scenes outside the CBN office in Lagos on Friday as dozens of people tried to get in to deposit their old naira notes. A few could be seen attempting to climb over the fence into the premises.

The old 500 and 1000 naira notes can only be deposited at the CBN offices.

Observers have criticised the government for introducing the disruptive policy ahead of the 25 February general election.

Analysts say the policy, though poorly rolled out, had been targeted at politicians who had hoarded billions of naira to buy votes.

Read more: Nigeria's naira shortage: President Buhari extends use of old notes

AKA was gunned down outside a restaurant in Durban in what police suspect was a targeted killing.

Image source, @MartinBakole01/Twiiter

Days after Congolese boxer Martin Bakole received $100,000 (£83,000) cash from the Congolese government to prepare for a fight, his purported opponent has denied the match-up has been planned.

American boxer Michael Hunter denied that he was set to face Bakole on 4 March after Congolese journalists sought his comment.

"Lies,"Hunter tweeted in response, external

But Bakole insists the fight had been planned.

“Michael was number one on the WBC rankings. I was the second. We had to challenge each other in the ring to bring out the one who has to face Daniel Dubois, the current heavyweight champion,” the Congolese boxer says.

Bakole now says that his managers are looking for another opponent for the scheduled date.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Lawmakers in Burkina Faso have passed a bill creating a military unit charged with enforcing human rights on the frontline in the ongoing war against insecurity, privately-owned LeFaso.Net has reported.

Called 'provostships', it will be made of soldiers drawn from national gendarmerie with the status of judicial police officers (OPJ) and military clerks.

The minister said that there was a risk of human rights violations as the country's security forces intensify counterinsurgency operations to tackle growing insecurity in various regions, the report said.

Burkina Faso's security forces backed by Volunteers for Defence of Fatherland (VDPs) have been battling jihadist militants and other armed groups occupying large areas in northern and western regions.

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

Violence in South Sudan is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, according to a panel of UN human rights experts.

They expressed "concern" and "worry" over ethnic attacks going on outside the capital, Juba.

"This situation in South Sudan is amongst the greatest human rights and humanitarian crises that the world is facing,” Barney Afako, a member of the panel, told reporters in a briefing in the capital.

“The suffering across the country remains immense. South Sudanese women and girls continue to face unspeakable sexual violence,” Mr Afako said.

He urged the government to prioritise peace and end the cycle of violence in the country.

Pope Francis made the same appeal during his historic visit to the country earlier this month, but violence continues to spread.

Batter Temba Bavuma will lead the Proteas in the upcoming two-match series against the West Indies, with former skipper Dean Elgar also included in the squad.

Nomsa Maseko
BBC News, Johannesburg

The memorial service of popular South African rapper AKA has started at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg.

Long queues of people had gathered to pay their respects.

The star, who's real name is Kiernan Forbes, was shot dead a week ago in Durban in what police say was a targeted killing.

Police are searching for two men who were caught on surveillance cameras carrying out the shooting.

Large numbers of people are expected to attend the memorial ceremony or follow the event online.

More on this topic:

• AKA: The murdered rapper from South Africa 'destined for greatness'

BBC World Service

The UN refugee agency says thousands of people are continuing to flee fighting and insecurity in the disputed Somaliland town of Las Anod.

An estimated 60,000 have crossed the border into Ethiopia in the past few weeks.

The agency said many arrived exhausted and traumatised, carrying few possessions.

In all, the UN estimates that more than 185,0000 have been displaced in the Las Anod area.

Fighting broke out earlier this month between local forces and those of Somaliland, whose declaration of independence has not been internationally recognised.

Uganda's Makerere University has blamed graduands for the shortage of seats during this week's graduation ceremonies.

Parents, guardians and even some graduating students missed out on seats for the fourth day, Daily Monitor news site reports.

Some elderly parents had to sit on the grass throughout the Business School graduation ceremony, which lasted for about five hours, the report said.

The university said it had limited guests to two per graduand but most invited more.

“I will not blame the university for this. I blame ourselves for coming with more people who were not invited. We were supposed to come two people but my child brought four of us,” one parent was quoted as saying.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Getty Images

The US says it has killed five al-Shabab fighters in Somalia during a joint operation with the Somali army.

The US command in Africa (Africom) said the air strike was conducted in Bacadweyne in central Somalia, about 460km (285 miles) from the capital Mogadishu.

It said initial assessments showed that five militants were killed but further investigations were continuing. There has been no reports of civilian casualties.

On Thursday, Somali authorities said they had killed more than 300 al-Shabab militants in southern Somalia.

It comes as Somali federal troops, backed by the US, clan militia and African Union troops, continue a counter-insurgency against the al-Qaeda affiliate.

This has turned the tide in favour of Somali forces, which have in recent months retaken huge territories that had been held by al-Shabab for years.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has made the fight against al-Shabab his top priority as he bids to end the 15-year insurgency by the group.

Opposition parties and the US criticise the 10-day naval drills during the conflict in Ukraine.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Police reinforcements have been deployed to parts of Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos, in response to unrest thought to be linked a continuing cash shortage.

Gunfire has been heard and a number of main roads have been blocked, some by burning tyres.

Police said order had been restored in one district, Mile Twelve.

They blamed the trouble on hoodlums.

A local newsppaer has shared a video of the Friday morning protests.

Frustration over a shortage of newly-designed banknotes caused violent protests earlier this week in other parts of southern Nigeria including Warri, Benin City and Ibadan.

On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, again extended the deadline for the old notes to be handed in.

Image source, Nation Publication Limited

A group of MPs in Malawi have dressed in clothes made out of gunny sacks, mostly used to carry vegetables, to protest against President Lazarus Chakwera as he gives his state nations address, The Nation news site reports. , external

The opposition members said they were disaffected by president's leadership amidst a growing economic crisis and a public health emergency sparked by an outbreak of cholera.

Mr Chawera, who is currently reading his speech, admitted that he was expecting hostility from some MPs.

He pleaded for unity in the country, blaming the economic challenges the country was facing on "external shock".

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

At least 10 people have been killed in southern Mozambique, including the capital Maputo, after heavy rains unleashed floods over the past few days, the government has said.

The chair of the National Disaster Management Institute (INGD), Luisa Meque, said "43,426 people were affected by the floods and ten were killed", Radio France Internationale reported on 16 February.

The governor of Maputo province, Julio Parruque, urged flood-prone communities to comply with government evacuation orders or risk being forcibly removed.

The National Directorate for Water Resources Management has issued a flood alert for the southern Gaza province amid heavy rains.

The UN has said humanitarian organisations were monitoring the situation and mobilising to support government-led efforts.

Ferdinand Omondi
BBC News

Image source, AFP

A new report from Amnesty International claims that M23 rebels raped more than 66 women and girls mainly in the Kishishe village in the Democratic Republic of Congo in November last year, in a wave of violence where they are accused of hunting down and killing men.

The latest report adds to a growing list of war crimes allegedly committed by fighting groups in the conflict that has been running for decades. M23 denies the claims.

The report claims that members of the rebel group killed at least 20 men and raped dozens of women and girls mainly in Kishishe, a small village located 100km (62 miles) north of the provincial capital Goma.

In the interviews, some of which the BBC has seen, women narrate how rebels attacked the village, broke into their homes, raped them and killed their men.

A regional official who spoke to the BBC anonymously says he witnessed the women and children fleeing, and echoed Amnesty International’s concerns that survivors of sexual assault were not receiving sufficient health care beyond basic kits.

But the M23 denies its soldiers raped women in Kishishe.

M23 chairman Bertrand Bisimwa dismissed the reports as propaganda and told the BBC his group insists on an independent investigation to establish what happened.

Amnesty International believes these acts were part of a campaign waged by M23 to punish and humiliate civilians suspected of being supporters of rival armed groups.

These attacks were part of last year’s massacre which the UN estimates killed at least 131 civilians.

Image source, AFP

The US will repatriate nearly $1m (£840,000) to Nigeria which were embezzled by the former governor of an oil-producing state, the US Justice Department has said.

This is in accordance with an agreement between the two countries to repatriate assets traceable to the kleptocracy of former governor of Bayelsa state Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the department said in a statement, external.

Mr Alamieyeseigha, now deceased, served as governor from 1999 until his impeachment in 2005.

While he was governor he accumulated property worth millions of dollars through corrupt and illegal activities, including property in Rockville, Maryland, the statement said.

The forfeited assets will be used to support improvements in health care centres across Bayelsa State.

Richard Kagoe
BBC News, Nairobi

Police in Kenya have questioned a member of parliament over claims of funding bandits in the country’s northern Rift Valley region.

Pokot South MP David Pkosing was arrested on Thursday evening by officers from the Serious Crimes Unit and released hours after interrogation.

His lawyer says the MP will appear before detectives on Friday morning for further questioning.

Mr Pkosing is the first politician to be probed by authorities over the banditry menace that has left more than 100 civilians and 16 security officers dead in the past six months.

Kenya’s military will on Friday join police units in an operation against bandits and cattle rustlers in the restive northern region. "Operation maliza uhalifu" will disarm those illegally armed in the area.

A voluntary disarmament exercise ended on Thursday after a three-day ultimatum issued by President William Ruto lapsed.

Attempts by previous administrations to disarm the heavily armed bandits operating with impunity have failed.

The government has declared the prevailing security situation in the north a national emergency and imposed a 30-day dawn-to-dusk curfew in the region.

At the centre of the perennial attacks by bandits is the lucrative meat trade. Thousands of cattle are stolen every month and driven hundreds of kilometres away for slaughter or sale in the local and international markets.

Ethnic rivalry instigated by politicians and competition for natural resources are also factors behind banditry.

Analysts say the government should prioritise sustainable solutions like dialogue and improving the economic well-being of communities who have faced historic marginalisation.

Image source, AFP

Tunisian President Kais Saied has rejected “foreign interference” following criticism over a recent string of arrests targeting his critics.

"Tunisia is an independent and sovereign state, not under colonialism or protection and its sovereignty is above all other considerations," he said on Thursday.

He added that the country “was able to diagnose our problems”.

On Wednesday, the US said it was "deeply concerned" by the reported arrests including of politicians, business leaders and a journalist in recent days. The UN also voiced its alarm over the arrests.

But on Thursday, the president said he was acting in full respect of the law.

He on Wednesday accused some of the detained people of being traitors, responsible for soaring price increases and severe food shortages.

The country has been in a deepening political and economic crisis, amid protests by Tunisians increasingly frustrated with the economy and against Mr Saied's seizure of near-total power.

In 2021, the president shut down Tunisia’s parliament and moved to rule by decree before rewriting the country’s constitution.