Understanding the public relations market in Africa
The APRC report is the first global communications report from Africa, dedicated to highlighting key data in the African business and communications landscape.
Iretomiwa Akintunde-Johnson and Blossom Deji-Folutile
20 million Africans have migrated from the continent since 2010 according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. 11 million have headed for Europe, five million to the Middle East and three million to North America.
The brain drain of young people from the continent will impact the future of the economy and burgeoning professions and creative industries such as marketing and public relations. The public relations and communications industries are already losing future talent.
Black House Media has developed a survey as part of the Africa Public Relations and Communication Report (APCR) with the goal of understanding the views of communication professionals in Africa. It aims to shed light on the most critical problems facing the sector and the continent.
With an estimated population of 1.3 billion people across 54 countries the research will seek to understand the impact of the industry and its role in helping frame the world’s perception of Africa. The report will provide insights for organisations considering investment or expansion in Africa.
“A lack of data and research is a major concern for African industries. We understand this challenge and have created the APCR report to fill this gap within the public relations industry,” said Ayẹni Adékúnlé, founder and CEO, BHM, and chair, APCR.
Equality and inclusion are a key theme of the report alongside migration. Gender inequality is an acute issue in African countries according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap 2020 report.
The APRC project spans eight of the key African markets across five geographic zones, and incorporates surveys, roundtable discussions, qualitative analysis, and essay contributions from professionals across the continent, kicked off in April 2022.
It is being undertaken in partnership with 20 associations, schools, and companies including Africa Communications Week (ACW), African Public Relations Association (APRA), Black House Media (BHM), Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), and Wadds Inc.
If you work in Africa, please contribute to the survey.
About the authors
Iretomiwa Akintunde-Johnson is a lawyer and lead public relations and communications adviser at ID Africa, a pan-African communications advisory and execution firm. She also leads the company's expansion across West Africa. Blossom Deji-Folutile is an experienced public relations professional with a demonstrated history of working with a diverse team of professionals in the planning and execution of campaigns for ICT, Entertainment, FMCG and other corporate brands.
