World
Great-Power Rivalry Reawakening Russia to Geopolitical Realities in Africa
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
With heightening geopolitical situation, a new wave is entirely blowing from Russia to Africa, fortifying the emerging multipolar world with emphasis on Africa and the Global South. Russia’s policy approach toward Africa is increasingly changing, incorporating most the areas and spheres as ready instruments for consolidating the scale of current bilateral relations. For the first time in the post-Soviet history, a press tour for journalists of African news agencies “TASS – Africa: the Path of Friendship” took place from November 16 to 24 in Moscow, Kazan and St. Petersburg.
The TASS news agency intends to establish news bureaus in all African countries, replicating its presence during the Soviet era, Director General Andrey Kondrashov said. His statement was based on the fact that Africa is becoming “one of the most important areas of focus.” The biggest apparent challenge is how to create an extensive media outreach and maintain a significant information footprint, a replica which was witnessed during Soviet times.
Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, meeting with African ambassadors, indicated clearly that Russia is competing with foreign players in Africa. But, as Russia continues invariably working on its long-term cooperation, it has “to move away from intentions to concrete actions.” Russia has a distinctive feature in comparison with other countries: it has always spread to the people of the African continent good things, model-solutions for development problems.
During a meeting with African ambassadors in the State Duma, the issue of greater representation of Russian media in Africa was raised, which ambassadors responded with applause. “It is necessary to take certain steps together for the Russian media to work on the African continent,” Volodin noted before arguably comparing that “the Russian media provide broadcasting in various languages, they work in many countries, although it is certainly impossible to compare this presence with presence of the media of the United States, United Kingdom and Germany.”
Notwithstanding the geopolitical obstacles, Russia has sound instruments for media cooperation. Yet, officials desperately complain over anti-Russian media campaign perpetuated by the western media in Africa. The continent’s biggest challenge among political elite and entrepreneurs is to access opportunities in the Russian Federation for cooperation, yet these vital element has been missing. There is dearth of adequate information on economic and tourism developments between Russia and Africa.
For creating a sustainable partnership—the first in Africa—would require sprawling educational campuses, frequent exchange of specialists and students, promoting visa-free tourism, as well as media practitioners’ engagement with ordinary Russians, visiting interesting tourism spots across the Russian Federation.
And while China, for instance, has granted 53 African nations duty-free access to its market, Russia would simply not just as it does consider it necessary to permit African reporters inside the country. Noticeably, Africans are showing high interest in leveraging their relationships with Russia. On the other side, Russian rules and regulations are restricting Africans, and as result, rather continue balancing their strategic relationship—with varying degrees of success with the United States and Europe.
Experts have consistently argue that lack of two-way media representation exacerbates misunderstanding between Russia and Africa. As a result, African leaders and corporate business executives often rely on Western media for information about Russia, leading to a one-sided view that often reflects Western biases. As Africa’s middle class estimated at 280 million (twice Russia’s population) continues to grow, representing a vibrant information market, the need for a balanced and comprehensive media coverage from both sides becomes increasingly crucial. The low representation does not reflect the growing diplomatic and economic ties between Russia and Africa. Analysis further shows both realism and symbolism, and Africa repetitive attempts to turn symbolism into real substance at this stage of shifting developments.
Artem Kozhin, is now Russia’s ambassador to Seychelles. During the Russia-Africa Summit, Artem Kozhin, who represented the Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department, at the panel discussion on media, explained in an indepth report that some 300 news bureaus from 60 countries were operating in Russia, including 800 foreign correspondents and 400 technical personnel in the Russian Federation. According to his interpretation, this extremely low representation of African media hardly meets the level of current dynamically developing relations between Russia and Africa. “We invite all interested parties to open news bureaus and expand media cooperation with Russia,” Kozhin said at the gathering, inviting Africa media to Moscow.
Professor Alexey Vasiliev, the first Special Representative of Russian President for Relations with Africa (2006-2011) and currently the Head of the Center for African and Arab Studies at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, told the audience in Sochi: “Africa is largely unaware of Russia, since African media mainly consumes information the Western media sources and then replicates them. And all the fake news, the Rusophobia and anti-Russian propaganda, spread by the western media, are repeated in the African media.”
“Measures are needed to enable us to better understand each other,” suggested Professor Vasiliev, who regularly advises the Presidential Administration, the Government of the Russian Federation, both chambers of the Federal Assembly, and the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Critiques have since emerged regarding the level of discrimination in accrediting foreign media. In a parallel plane, policy researchers say Africa’s media absence in the Russian Federation is alarming. In short, Africa Studies Institute’s Director, Professor Irina Abramova has reiterated, at several conferences including at State Duma roundtable discussion, and now at TACC conference with the media group from 10 Francophone African countries, the extremely low of African media presence in the Russian Federation.
She emphasized that Russia’s image is formed by African audiences, influenced by the media, often diverges significantly from reality. The director noted that receiving first-hand information is the foundation for mutual understanding and cooperation. “Information, today, has become a powerful productive force, capable of shaping objective reality. Under the current conditions, the role of journalists is extremely important, because the nature of Russian-African relations, largely depends on how given facts are presented,” Professor Abramova stated, while urging African media practitioners to actively establish their presence in the Russian Federation.
Professor Abarmova regrettably underlined that not a single African news agency has permanent accreditation in the country. The speakers discussed expanding cooperation in the information sphere, pointed to the importance of expanding Russian media offices on the African continent.
For decades, cooperation with Africa has been in line with Moscow’s policy aimed at strengthening media ties. And now, by inviting these African media practitioners, more or less, marked one step toward teaming up, at starting level, to fight anti-Russian propaganda, and the spread of fake information. In addition, Professor Abramova underscored the critical fact that the Africa Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has to work up to an appreciable expectations, discard uncollaborative approach to issues relating to Africa.
For Africa, officials of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the Russian Foreign Ministry should rather show enthusiasm in facilitating the rules and regulations, among others, in addressing promptly the necessary obstacles hindering bilateral media cooperation. Professor Abramova unreservedly suggested, for example, the significance of establishing Russia-Africa Press Exchange Programme to encourage and promote exchanges and regular visits between Russian and African media.
Tatyana Dovgalenko, Director of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that Moscow counts on the active participation of its partners from Africa. In this context, she reiterated the Russia-Africa summits held in October 2019 and July 2023, have described as a true breakthrough by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “These events served as a powerful starting-point for what is commonly referred to as the revival of Russia-Africa relations. And today, Russian-African ties are steadily growing,” Dovgalenko said at the conference dedicated to the launch of the press tour. “It is important that our African friends view Russia as a reliable friend and a partner, capable of acting to protect its own sovereignty and supporting others to do the same.”
“These events served as a powerful starting-point for what is commonly referred to as the revival of Russia-Africa relations. And today, Russian-African ties are steadily growing,” Dovgalenko said at the conference dedicated to the launch of the press tour. “It is important that our African friends view Russia as a reliable friend and a partner, capable of acting to protect its own sovereignty and supporting others to do the same.”
The media initiative was as a follow up to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s discussions about rolling out a comprehensive roadmap for a more integrated cooperation and to find ways of improving public diplomacy in Africa.
On May 16, Sergey Lavrov chaired the Foreign Ministry Collegium meeting on the theme titled “Concept of the Russian Federation on Cooperation with African Media” which stresses the need to cooperate with African media as Russia looks forward to strengthening relations and intends to share its strategic interests with Africa. According to the MFA report: “the Russian Federation is implementing programmes of cooperation with various African countries which include the media, education, culture, art, and sport.”
In order to overcome these longstanding challenges mentioned above in the article, both Russia and Africa have to take concrete steps toward building a more collaborative media landscape. This includes creating opportunities for African journalists in Russia and increasing the presence of Russian media in Africa. In mid-November 2025, media representatives invited from 10 Francophone African countries, visited key landmarks, museums, and universities, and held meetings with representatives of academic institutions and media.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
One year after launching a continental initiative designed to make excellence in public governance the foundation of a new drive to transform Africa, LEAD, the Africa CEO Forum’s pan-African leadership programme, takes stock of its first cohort and announces the launch of its second class. Built around a community of senior public decision-makers committed to modernising the state and to the continent’s digital transformation, this new cohort gathers for three days, from 28 to 30 August 2026, on the campus of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Rabat, Morocco.
A second cohort that confirms the programme’s durability
For its second class, LEAD brings together 50 fellows, senior public decision-makers engaged in the design and implementation of the continent’s economic and social policies. Over three days, participants take part in collective and collaborative working sessions, peer exchanges and meetings with figures from the public, business and academic spheres, in order to compare their practices and build shared responses to the major challenges of governance.
Speakers include Mehdi Jomaa, former Head of Government of Tunisia, Donald Kaberuka, Managing Partner & Founder, SouthBridge Group, and former President of the African Development Bank, Serge Ekue, President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD), Sanjay Jain, co-creator of India Stack and Director of Digital Public Infrastructure, Gates Foundation, and Mauricio Cardenas, Professor of Professional Practice in Global Leadership, Columbia SIPA, and former Finance Minister of Colombia (2012-2018).
They share their reform experience, their public policy trade-offs and their view of continental priorities. Throughout the programme, the cohort benefits from the dedicated support of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Asafo & Co, BOAD, BCG and the African Development Bank, LEAD partners that have chosen to invest in the transformation of African public action.
LEAD, a pan-African community serving public action
Created by the AFRICA CEO FORUM, LEAD is a leadership programme whose ambition is to reposition Africa’s administrative elite as a driver of reform, of performance and of dialogue with all the continent’s stakeholders.
Designed for senior African public decision-makers, LEAD sets out to build a lasting community of public officials able to share their experience, compare their practices and build common solutions to the major economic, technological and institutional transformations under way in Africa. That community is structured around three pillars: modernizing the state, improving public services, and strengthening cooperation between governments, development institutions and private-sector players.
From fellows to alumni: a long-term initiative
Made up of 36 fellows drawn from a range of administrations and institutions and representing 24 countries across the continent, LEAD’s first cohort demonstrated the quality and the potential of this community from its very first year. In less than twelve months, six of its members have taken a significant step forward: two have been appointed ministers, two have moved into strategic positions at the highest level of the state and two have been promoted to chief executive roles. These moves, which account for 16.7% of the first class, show the role LEAD plays as an accelerator of impact within African administrations.
By bringing together a new cohort of fellows every year, each of them joining the LEAD alumni community, the initiative follows a long-term trajectory: in time, to unite several hundred African public decision-makers around a shared culture of transparency, performance and regional cooperation.
A first year devoted to public service and digital public infrastructure
Throughout the year, the fellows devoted their work to strengthening African public action, to make excellence in public governance a central lever of transformation. An awareness campaign, run as part of Africa Public Service Day, brought to light those who, within the continent’s administrations and institutions, are concretely transforming public policy and improving the services offered to citizens.
Members of the cohort also took part in a special round table held in Kigali during the ACF 2026, in order to carry their thinking to a wider community of public and private leaders. That forum reinforced LEAD’s role as a platform for dialogue between the administrative elite and the continent’s economic players. Digital public infrastructure (DPI) formed the main thread of this first year of work.
Discussions covered issues at the heart of the digital sovereignty of African states: digital identity, payments, secure data exchange, interoperability, governance and the protection of citizens. This work examined the conditions under which African states are developing, in some cases, and can develop, in others, shared, open infrastructure robust enough to improve the quality of public services while supporting local innovation and preserving the capacity of public authorities to set the rules of the game.
A white paper to move from consuming technology to creating value
This year of work concludes with the publication, in collaboration with BCG, LEAD’s Knowledge Partner, of a white paper on Africa’s place in the digital economy and in artificial intelligence. With the digital economy still accounting for around 5% of African GDP, against close to 15% worldwide, the paper calls on the continent to shift from a logic of technology consumption to one of value creation.
The white paper identifies three structuring priorities for African public actors:
- Building shared digital infrastructure that serves as the backbone of public services and private innovation.
- Pooling investment in order to reach critical mass and avoid the fragmentation of efforts across the continent.
- Favouring open and interoperable architectures, with trust and governance built in by design, so as to protect citizens while stimulating the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The white paper is available here to all public decision-makers, technical partners and institutions concerned.
“LEAD’s first cohort confirms a simple conviction: Africa already has the women and men capable of profoundly transforming public action. Our responsibility, either with our partners, is to give them, at pan-African level, a space in which to compare experience, build common solutions and bring forward a new generation of public policy. With this second cohort, we want to accelerate the move from ambition to execution, in particular on digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence, two decisive issues for sovereignty, for the effectiveness of the state and for value creation across the continent,” says Amir Ben Yahmed, President of the Africa CEO Forum.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Africa is set to make history as it hosts the World Public Summit for the first time, with Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, welcoming global leaders and changemakers from July 29–30, 2026, for the landmark gathering under the theme “New World: Africa in Shaping a Shared Future.”
The inaugural African edition of the World Public Summit marks a significant milestone in the continent’s growing role in shaping international dialogue on governance, sustainable development, human-centred leadership and global cooperation.
Hosted by the World Peoples Assembly in partnership with African and international organisations, the summit will convene government officials, diplomats, business leaders, academics, journalists, youth representatives, civil society organisations and cultural leaders from across Africa and around the world.
According to Andrey Belyaninov, General Secretary of the World Peoples Assembly, “the Summit is not just a meeting—it is a space for unity. A space where the ‘values that unite us’ come to life: respect for people, openness to the world, responsibility for the future, and a commitment to creation.
“Today, we understand more clearly than ever: the future cannot be built alone. It is born in dialogue, in trust, in the ability to listen to one another and to act together.”
The programme begins on July 29 with a series of high-level roundtables and expert discussions covering Pan-African economic integration, civil society, education, scientific cooperation, cultural diplomacy and humanitarian partnerships.
The opening plenary, “Values, Development and Partnership as the Basis of a Sustainable and Just World,” will explore how African values—including Ubuntu—can help shape a more inclusive and sustainable global future. Discussions will also focus on youth leadership, innovation, civil society, ethical AI, public initiatives and international partnerships.
The summit will also showcase Africa’s creativity and innovation through the “Innovations for the Future” exhibition, the contemporary African art exhibition “Unity,” and the international exhibition “The World Paints Happiness.”
Another featured initiative is “The Zambezi River: Economy, Society, Soul,” an international interdisciplinary project exploring the river’s socioeconomic importance across Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, highlighting the shared heritage and development potential of one of Africa’s most important waterways.
The event will conclude with the adoption of the African Communiqué, reflecting the summit’s shared vision for stronger international cooperation, sustainable development and people-centred leadership.
Tsegaye Chama, General Secretary of the Global Black Centre, promised that, “The Summit will be delivered with exceptional distinction, reflecting the magnitude and spirit of the World Peoples Assembly. It embodies a unity that is not transactional, but purposeful and conscious, a unity that shapes new contours for a world that works for all peoples of the World.”
As delegates prepare to arrive in Addis Ababa, anticipation continues to build for what promises to be one of Africa’s most significant international gatherings of 2026—one that will place the continent firmly at the centre of global conversations about the future.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria regained its position as Africa’s leading destination for equity startup investment in the first half of 2026, raising $214 million in equity financing and a total of $254 million across equity and debt, according to the latest Africa: The Big Deal report.
The report, titled H1 2026: Mapping the Money, showed that Nigeria ranked second on the continent in total funding, behind Egypt, which attracted $327 million, while Kenya and South Africa followed with $126 million and $83 million, respectively.
However, the report noted that Egypt’s top position was largely driven by a single fundraising by electric mobility company Spiro, which secured $327 million, including $270 million in equity and $57 million in debt. Excluding debt financing, Nigeria emerged as Africa’s largest equity funding market in the first six months of the year.
According to the breakdown by Africa: The Big Deal, Nigeria’s equity funding of $214 million was higher than Egypt’s $183 million, while South Africa and Kenya attracted $66 million and $46 million, respectively.
Beyond funding value, Nigeria also led the continent in the number of startups that raised at least $100,000 during the review period, reclaiming the top spot after what the report described as an “underwhelming” second half of 2025.
The publication observed that Nigeria’s fundraising performance has remained relatively stable over the past few years and exceeded the $250 million mark for the first time since 2022, pointing to renewed investor confidence in the country’s startup ecosystem.
It also found that while the Big Four startup markets—Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa—continued to dominate Africa’s investment landscape, their combined share of total funding stood at 58 per cent in the first half of 2026.
“Zooming back on the Big Four (110 out of 190 $100k+ deals, i.e. 58%), Nigeria is head and shoulders above its peers, with Egypt and Kenya almost tying, and South Africa in fourth position again,” the report noted.
The report highlighted contrasting performances among the continent’s largest startup ecosystems. While Nigeria and Egypt maintained strong funding momentum, Kenya recorded its weakest funding performance since early 2021 after a strong second half of 2025, and South Africa failed to attract $100 million in funding during the period despite leading the continent a year earlier.
Africa: The Big Deal also noted a broader shift in investor behaviour, with funding increasingly concentrated in larger transactions while early-stage investments continued to decline. According to the publication, the drop in smaller funding rounds reflects growing concerns about limited capital available for early-stage startups across Africa.
