Industry Leaders Seek Cross-sector Collaboration To Unlock Africa’s Media Potential

Africa’s brightest minds in media, technology, communications, policy, and finance have ignited a collective movement toward unlocking the continent’s vast media potential.

This is even as they converged at the second edition of Media Roundtable Summit organised by Blanche Aigle Communications, a leading Pan-African public relations agency and marketing communications agency, in Lagos. Themed “Africa’s Media Renaissance: Building a Thriving Industry at the Intersection of Storytelling, Business, and Technology,” the summit brought together a dynamic mix of policymakers, journalists, creatives, influencers, public relations experts, and investors.

As Nigeria’s digital ad spend is projected to exceed $400 million by 2025, the summit underscored the urgent need to ensure African storytellers, media entrepreneurs, and content creators are not just visible, but equitably valued. The summit urged Africa’s media professionals, brand leaders, investors, and policymakers to invest, innovate, and collaboratively influence a new narrative.

The founder of Blanche Aigle Communications and convener of the summit, Nene Bejide, while giving her opening speech at the summit, said this year’s theme is not just aspirational, it is urgent.

“We are living through a defining moment for African storytelling, where our platforms, people, and policies must align. This summit is our commitment to building an inclusive, youth-driven, and economically viable media ecosystem that speaks with power and purpose,” Bejide averred.

The summit was conceived as a timely response to the growing demand for content innovation, sustainable growth, and increased investment within the continent’s evolving media-tech landscape. It served as a strategic platform to exchange bold ideas and collectively shape the future of the African creator economy.

The summit commenced with a thought-provoking keynote address by James Hewes, renowned global media strategist and Founder of Soho Consulting International. With decades of experience shaping media transformation across continents, Hewes delivered a powerful presentation on “The Future of Media,” offering critical insights into how artificial intelligence, data, and global narratives are rapidly converging to redefine the way stories are told, distributed, and experienced across the African continent and beyond.

His keynote underscored the necessity for African media stakeholders to embrace digital disruption and position themselves at the forefront of global platform economies.

The day featured five powerful and perspective-shifting panel discussions, each designed to spotlight urgent challenges and emerging opportunities within Africa’s media, communications, and creative ecosystems.

The first panel, “Building a Global Audience: Strategies for African Media Companies,” was moderated by Damilare Akintunde, Founder of ShockNG, and featured a distinguished lineup including VWoke Ighure (PressReader), David Adeleke (Founder, Communique), Tolu Ogunlesi (Communications Consultant), Tayo Fagbule (Editor, BusinessDay), and Omotola Aderinsola Adebanjo (Editor, BBC).

The panel explored how African media companies can tap into the global content economy, emphasizing the strategic use of digital tools, data analytics, and scalable storytelling. Panelists discussed how local media brands can build cross-border audiences, particularly within the African diaspora, and adapt to changing audience consumption patterns fueled by mobile-first platforms.

The second panel, “Public Relations in the Digital Era – Managing Reputations & Building Influence,” moderated by Tennie Oyewole, featured Oreoluwa Atinmo (Marketing Director, GBfoods Africa), Lynda Aguocha (Head of Advertising, Aspira Nigeria), and Oluremi Martins (CEO, Regirl World). The conversation focused on how modern-day PR must evolve to meet the demands of real-time reputation management, influencer-driven marketing, and the rise of user-generated content (UGC). Panelists emphasized the need for influencers to champion transparency, brand authenticity, and build strategic alliances globally to drive deeper audience engagement and trust.

The third panel, “The Music Business & Entertainment Ecosystem – Leveraging Media for Global Growth,” moderated by Temilola Balogun (TaymiB), Co-Founder of PICHR, featured Christel Kayibi (Director of strategy, Sony Music Africa) and Ifeyinwa Anyadiegwu (Head, Business & Legal, Chocolate City). This session explored how Africa’s music industry particularly Afrobeats has become a major cultural export and economic engine within the broader creative and creator economy. From global streaming deals to merchandising and brand partnerships, the discussion highlighted the intersection of music, media, fashion, and tourism, positioning the entertainment sector as a pillar of Africa’s soft power strategy.

The fourth panel, “Funding and Investment in Africa’s Creative Industry,” moderated by David Adeleke, gathered financial and policy thought leaders including Jide Sipe (Group Head Brand Transformation and Digital Banking Bank of Industry), Wale Ajiboye (Development Consultant)), Ugodre Obi-Chukwu (Founder, Nairametrics), and Oludayo Adeniji (Partner, KPMG West Africa). Panelists addressed the urgent need to unlock capital for creators, startups, and digital media ventures. They explored frameworks for sustainable investment, from public-private partnerships to tax incentives and micro-investment models tailored to the African media ecosystem. The panel called for financial inclusion models that empower independent creators and small and medium sized media businesses and build long-term economic resilience within the digital content economy.

Each session echoed a central truth: Africa’s creator economy is vibrant and full of untapped potential, but unlocking its full value will require bold investment, regulatory reform, digital transformation, and most importantly, collaborative leadership.

The Blanche media roundtable summit was supported by GBfoods Nigeria, Gino, Nestle Purelife,Chumpe’s pot, Enhance360,Kymorcreativ, Mr Rexstudios and Flirt Vodka with media partners including Pulse, Businessday, Yabaleft,Brand Communicator,Talestime Africa, Musicwormcity, Modaculture and ThisisLagos.