David Adeleke
In May 2015, members of the African Public Relations Association (ARPA) gathered in Yaounde, Cameroon, to discuss Africa’s reputational problem. The conference, themed “Africa Trending: Contemporary Challenges, Opportunities in Reputation and Crisis Management”, gathered professionals from across the world to discuss and devise strategies to help remedy the situation.
The African Union endorsed the event, and it enjoyed the support of the Cameroonian government. So, by all counts, it was a heavyweight conference. The calibre of attendees at this event and the quality of resources it commanded are pointers to the magnitude of the conversation. For many decades, Africa has had to deal with negative representations and narratives.There have been talks of changing the narrative in the past, but these conversations often paint the matter with a broad stroke and do not go down into details and nuance. The discussions also often happen primarily within the parameters of the Western media’s coverage and portrayal of Africa. You often hear statements like, “The Western media only covers negative stories about Africa”. Or comments like, “The Western media’s portrayal of Africa is based on negative stereotypes”.While these statements are factual, they are merely symptoms of more significant, often political, dynamics in play. The political dynamics are, however, usually out of the radar of everyday people. What matters to them is their reality. What is life for them like in Africa? How does Africa treat them? What do they think of their fellow Africans? How do the answers to these questions influence how they live and work?Bringing this closer to home, to Public Relations and Communications, the question becomes, how does our understanding of the industry and its many moving parts influence how we do business and communicate Africa’s stories? Conversations about Africa’s reputation are often homogenous, with little for nuance. How can the PR and Communications industry introduce much-needed layers of nuance into these conversations?These are questions that only research and data can answer. Or at least, they are questions that only research and data can help us understand more deeply.Research into the PR and communications profession across Africa is often done in silos. Usually, when industry reports come out, they are country-specific or focused. We have the Nigerian PR Report by BlackHouse Media Group, the South African Township Marketing Report by Rogerwilco, studies into the cultural influences on PR in Ghana, studies examining the practice in Gabon, and so on. There are a myriad of examples. All these reports are great and have their place. However, there is a gap for more pan-African studies into the industry, particularly as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement takes shape.One of the many benefits of this AfCFTA agreement is that it creates a single market for goods and services, encouraging a more extensive trade flow among African countries. It also eliminates barriers to doing business across African borders. So, it follows that if the AfCFTA makes it easier to do cross-border business, by extension, it will increase the need for a broader understanding of the current state and trajectory of the PR and comms industry across the continent.We might have some insight into how the industry functions within major African countries, but do we truly understand it on a regional and continental level?Based on data and research, what do we know about how the industry has evolved and matured across the continent? What do we know about how it currently operates? What do we know about how PR professionals fare when they take their talents from one African country to the next? These are essential questions that need well-researched answers and not conjectures.We live in a fast-changing world that is heavily impacted by technological innovation. How has this speed of innovation influenced the industry across Africa? How is the growth of technology ecosystems across the continent affecting how PR professionals think about their work?What do we know about all the different aspects of the PR industry across the continent? What do we know about how reputation management, media relations, crisis communications, stakeholder relations, and public affairs, among many others, operate across the continent?When we zoom in, what do we know about remunerations within different industry sectors and in different parts of the continent? What do we know about how clients approach agency relationships in these countries and sectors? Which sectors offer the best job prospects and growth opportunities? Which ones are the toughest to navigate? What do practitioners think about their jobs? How do they process opportunities to jump into new industries?If we do not attempt to answer these questions comprehensively, we will be doing our profession a huge disservice. Therefore, we must realise that Africa indeed needs a comprehensive PR and communications report because there is far more to gain and a lot to lose if we do not begin to make efforts to create one now.
* Adeleke is a writer, media analyst, and communications strategist with over seven years of experience in media and technology.
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