Africa Needs to Own Its Narrative, Says PR Association President
Arik Karani, president of the African Public Relations Association (Apra), has called for Africans to take control of their own narrative. Speaking at the 2026 Effective Communicators Conference in Swakopmund on Thursday, Karani stated that the continent is frequently depicted negatively, focusing on conflict, poverty, and disaster. He emphasized that this external portrayal overshadows Africa's significant innovation and progress. Karani urged African voices to actively shape how the continent is perceived globally, rather than allowing external perspectives to dominate. The conference aimed to foster better communication strategies among African professionals.
The call for African nations to control their own narrative highlights a critical challenge in global information dissemination. External media often frames developing regions through lenses of crisis, potentially influencing investment, tourism, and international relations. This dynamic raises questions about media representation, the power of storytelling, and the need for robust internal communication infrastructure. As AI and digital platforms democratize content creation, African entities have a growing opportunity to bypass traditional gatekeepers and directly communicate their realities. However, achieving a balanced and authentic global perception will likely require sustained strategic effort, capacity building in media literacy, and fostering diverse internal voices to counter monolithic external portrayals.
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