“Afrikia” – Africa's first AI-focused media outlet

“It is truly a joy for us to be pioneers,” said Bernard Yao Adzorgenu, editor-in-chief of Afrikia, the first media outlet dedicated exclusively to artificial intelligence across Africa. “AI is currently experiencing growth worldwide, but many people think it has no place in Africa. So we are coming with the mission to change mindsets.”

The young online media aims to make bridges between global technological innovation linked to AI and reality in Africa. The platform offers everyday, in French, a variety of content, including articles, profiles, and interviews. “Publishing in French is a strategic and cultural choice. It allows us to reach a wide audience in Africa and beyond, particularly in French-speaking countries where technological and AI issues deserve better media coverage,” explained Yao Adzorgenu.

Ultimately, Afrikia thus aims to become a space for discussion, sharing, and reflection on the major issues related to AI, but also to show that this new technology can bring benefits to the continent. “We want to show people how, for example, AI can boost areas where Africa faces many challenges, such as access to technology, healthcare, agriculture, and education,” said Yao Adzorgenu.

A strategy based on a network of correspondents

The main editorial and operational team is based in Togo and is made up of seven people. Supported by the Media and Digital Institute (MDI), an organisation that supports digital media in Africa, Afrikia intends to rely on a network of correspondents from all over the continent. For now, it has collaborators in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Senegal, and it hopes to expand as it becomes more well-known.

“The goal is really to be able to decentralise the media in almost all the countries of Africa. We are still new, it will take time, but we have to get started. We cannot wait to have 54 correspondents all over the continent,” explained Yao Adzorgenu, referring to the number of countries in Africa. The editor-in-chief proudly adds that his editorial team is made up of young journalists who have a perfect grasp of the subject of AI and its issues.

This network of correspondents allows them to diversify their content. For example, they discussed the AI ​​revolution in agriculture in Kenya, the first edition of the International Forum on the protection of personal data in Togo, or presented key actors in the tech sector in Senegal.

Challenges

Launching a new media outlet obviously comes with its share of challenges, particularly economic ones. Bernard Yao Adzorgenu acknowledges that it is still difficult for the outlet to attract partners.

The technologies here are not advanced, which means that significant investments in digital infrastructure are scarce

Bernard Yao, editor-in-chief of Afrikia

“There are still challenges related to the internet or modern devices that hinder the adoption of AI in daily practices.” For now, they are relying on financial support from the Media and Digital Institute and will spend the next few months talking about the project to new potential sponsors.

Recent developments on social networks and the departures of major media outlets from the X platform are also pushing Afrikia to diversify. “We are adopting a hybrid strategy. While remaining present on major platforms such as X and Meta, we are diversifying our distribution channels to reduce our dependency,” said Yao Adzorgenu, who gives their newsletter as an example.

For Mamadou Ndiaye, a researcher and lecturer in information and communication sciences at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, the challenge of funding remains the biggest problem currently facing the media in Africa. “The aspect that currently undermines journalism in Africa is economic precariousness,” said Ndiaye, who is also the director of studies at the CESTI journalism training school in Dakar. “Many media groups do not have a viable economic model and generally resort to patching things up all day long to survive because advertising does not cover the costs related to information production.”

The economic challenge is often amplified by the control exercised by authorities over the media and journalists in Africa. “There are political problems that lead states to often implement economic mechanisms to stifle the dynamics of press groups, with taxes or sometimes aid that were allocated to them but not distributed,” said Ndiaye. “All these elements ultimately mean that the press groups no longer conduct investigations or work on serious or public interest issues.”

AI and misinformation

This media and political situation leaves the door wide open to misinformation, often exacerbated by AI. Sometimes orchestrated by Russia, sometimes originating from the African continent, misinformation has played a central role in Africa in recent years in political campaigns, conflicts, coups, and public health crises.

“This entire situation gives rise to this army that is on the Internet and who, for political reasons sometimes, starts to distill, to disseminate information that, as we define it in relation to propaganda, only serves one side,” said Ndiaye. Moreover, the use of social media for news would also promote misinformation in Africa, according to a study by the Australian company KnowBe4 conducted last year. 

Aware that there is a real educational effort to be made, Afrikia also wants to do its part. “We also come with the idea of addressing these challenges and raising awareness among our readers by promoting educational initiatives so that more Africans are aware of this technological revolution and its possible dangers,” said Yao Adzorgenu. The new media now hopes to gain visibility and soon launch a quarterly magazine.

Source of the cover photo: Road Ahead via Unsplash

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