They’re the technical bits of genius businesses cannot do without. On this edition of Business Weekly, we look at the world of semiconductors and why a shortage of them is holding up industries the world over. From consumer electronics to cars, the squeeze on semiconductors affects the supply of everything with a computer chip. Also, Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela becomes the first African and first female director general of the World Trade Organisation. We hear from the woman herself about the task ahead. Plus, should children be learning about bonds, shares and savings accounts as well as algebra and geometry? We speak to pupils around the world keen to learn about finance and money.

To some it may sound absurd to consider hairstyles a workplace issue, but for millions of men and women with African and Afro-Caribbean hair, it is just that. For decades, some hairstyles have been discouraged at work. But things are finally starting to change. This month, the US Airforce is changing its hair code to be more inclusive. We explore the historic racism behind hair-based discrimination and hear from the women who have united to change attitudes and laws. We speak to businesswomen, historians and those in the arts – from the UK, the US and East Africa – to find out what hair has to do with it all anyway. Presenter: Vivienne Nunis Producer: Sarah Treanor

(Image credit: Getty)

How the biggest start-up acquisition out of Nigeria is resonating across Africa. Last year Nigeria saw its biggest ever start-up acquisition - a multi million dollar deal for digital payments company Paystack. The result was a massive shift in the minds of entrepreneurs and investors in Africa’s Fintech scene. The company which processes more than half of all online payments in Nigeria, was started by two graduates in their 20s five years ago. It ended in a $200 hundred million dollar deal with Stripe, the US-based payments software company. Tamasin Ford speaks to Chilufya Mutale, the co-founder and CEO of PremierCredit in Lusaka, an online micro-lending platform operating in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Plus Chijioke Dozie, the co-founder of Carbon, a PanAfrican digital bank operating in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana who says the Paystack acquisition is not only inspiring for existing entrepreneurs, it will encourage more people to join the Fintech scene. And to Katlego Maphai, the co-founder and CEO of Yoco in Cape Town, a digital payments company for small businesses in South Africa. Plus Maya Horgan Famodu, the founder and Managing Director at Ingressive Capital, a Venture Capitalist Fund based in Lagos in Nigeria which targets early stage start-ups across Sub-Saharan Africa and were an early investor in Paystack. And to Amandine Lobelle, the head of business operations at Paystack. (Picture credit: Getty Creative)

Why Taiwan isn't making enough computer chips. Ed Butler speaks to Jan-Peter Kleinhans, head of technology and geopolitics at SNV, a German think tank, about the central role of Taiwan in the complex global supply chain of semiconductors. The BBC's Theo Leggett explains why the car industry has been particularly hit by the shortage of chips. And Shelley Rigger, professor of East Asian politics at Davidson University in the US, discusses the growing significance of Taiwan in the technology war between China and the US.

(Photo: A man walks past a company logo at the headquarters of the world's largest semiconductor maker TSMC in Taiwan, Credit: Getty Images)

Though children will usually learn how to add, subtract or multiply in school, very often they are not taught the skills they need to manage their money in older life. We’ll hear from children around the world about their understanding of, and relationship with, money. Then, Lily Lapenna MBE, of MyBnk, describes her decades long campaign to improve financial education in UK schools, and how a gap still remains between boys and girls in financial literacy. Eddie Behringer, CEO of the fintech firm Copper, explains how their bank accounts for teenagers can help build skills from early on. And Dhruti Shah, author of the illustrated business dictionary Bear Markets and Beyond, recounts how she wishes she’d realised sooner just how much finance and business would factor in her life, and how a basic business vocabulary can help you understand your world better.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Eliminating carbon emissions in the next 30 years would be "the most amazing thing humanity has ever done".

In an exclusive interview, Bill Gates tells Justin Rowlatt why he has set his sights on tackling global warming, and how the challenge compares to efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic - which he is also taking a leading role in, with the funding of vaccine rollouts. The Microsoft founder and world's most influential philanthropist is particularly focused on the parts of the economy that are the toughest to decarbonise - things like cement, steel and aviation.

His thinking is strongly influenced by the energy historian Vaclav Smil. Gates says he has read every one of the Czech-Canadian professor's 40-odd books on the subject. But in a rare interview, Professor Smil tells Justin that he has a decidedly more pessimistic view of how quick and painless the energy transition can be.

Producer: Laurence Knight

(Picture: Justin Rowlatt interviewing Bill Gates at the Natural History Museum)

On this episode of Business Weekly, we examine the world of amateur traders. One in five Americans now play the stock market, but there are warnings that inexperienced traders could be caught out. Also, we take a look at the new space race. Commercial enterprises are vying to see who can get the most satellites into orbit in order to provide internet connectivity to some of the world’s poorest and most rural regions. In the week when Bumble made its market debut, we hear how dating apps are faring during the pandemic. And we chat to the man who provides books for home offices so his clients can seem well-read on video conferencing calls. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

After years of planning and delays, Africa’s new trade bloc, the African Continental Free Trade Area, opened in January with the promise of transforming the continent’s economies. Amandla Ooko-Ombaka of McKinsey and Company in Nairobi explains the enormous poverty-reducing potential the bloc represents. But some are calling for the agreement’s terms to more directly benefit women, by helping facilitate trade in their wares across borders. Caroline Gethi of the Organisation of Women in International Trade and Gloria Atuheirwe of Trademark East Africa say the agreement hasn't gone far enough to promote gender equality, and that it as yet doesn’t even recognise the role of women in informal trade which is the backbone of Africa’s economies.

Producer: Frey Lindsay

(Image credit: Getty Images.)

Is one of the world's mighty financial centres under threat from the damage done by the UK's departure from the EU? Six weeks after the final Brexit divorce, Katie Martin of the Financial Times explains the short-term impact, and long-term implications. One winner is Amsterdam. Michael Kent, co-founder of Azimo, a digital payments firm, tells us why he's opened an office there. And if the City of London is losing its allure, why are bankers so optimistic? We hear from the boss of Barclays.

Photo: A man wearing a traditional bowler hat looks over at London's financial and business district known as the Square Mile (Credit: Getty).

When shares in the apparently declining games company Gamestop soared almost 2000% in less than a month, the world’s attention was drawn to an army of amateur investors on new mobile trading platforms such as Robinhood. Investment author Ann Logue breaks down what makes these amateur traders different from regular day traders, and we’ll hear from one such amateur on the ups and downs of playing the market. Professional investor Bill Brewster speaks about what responsibilities the new investing apps have in making sure their users are informed both about the risks and how the apps actually work, and Barbara Roper of the Consumer Federation of America suggests where regulation can play a part. We’ll also hear from day trader and YouTuber HumbledTrader, who cautions people from getting into the game without doing their own research.

Producer: Marie Keyworth.

(Image credit: Getty Images.)

Bridging the global digital divide, using satellites in space, is the dream of the world's richest men like Elon Musk of SpaceX and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. They're joined in a new space race to carpet the earth in satellite constellations with national governments, private companies and the recently rescued OneWeb, under the new ownership of the British government and Bharti Enterprises. Sunil Bharti Mittal, the executive Chair of OneWeb tells us why firing hundreds rockets skywards makes business sense, even in a crowded market. And he's promised to leave no-one behind. We also speak to Caleb Henry of Quilty Analytics who tells us about the players in the market and Victoria Samson of the Secure World Foundation warns of the dangers of a crowded Lower Earth Orbit. Presented by Ed Butler and produced by Clare Williamson. (Image: Lift off Vr, Credits: Roscosmos and Space Center Vostochny, TsENK)

We explore the twin crises affecting the shipping industry. First, thousands of seafarers are stranded far from home, unable to travel because of the coronavirus. Add to that congestion at ports across the globe and sky-high freight rates. The result? Unprecedented pressures on an industry that’s usually far from the public eye. We hear from stranded ship-workers and those trying to help them return home. And we speak to the importers and exporters struggling to stay afloat as shipping rates go up and up.

(Image credit: Getty Images.)