Rapid changes in technology are fundamentally changing how media is consumed across the world. Nowhere is that more true than Africa. In 2010, only 10% of Africans used the internet regularly--a figure that has quadrupled over the last decade. The rise of the mobile-first generation has contributed to a growth in digital media, especially in the region's booming megacities. But is all access good access? The popularity of platforms like WhatsApp may mean that news spreads like wildfire, but with it often comes the proliferation of false and hateful continent. In South Africa, journalist Simon Allison is reclaiming the platform for good through The Continent, Africa's first WhatsApp-based newspaper produced in partnership with preeminent paper The Mail & Guardian. By using the same viral networks exploited by disseminators of disinformation, The Continent aims to counter the fake news on people’s phones with real news. In this episode, he discusses how the publication is pioneering a platform by Africans for Africans and how journalists on the ground are navigating a changing industry amidst COVID-19.

Many companies highlight their value and the way they support their customers and other stakeholders. COVID-19 has been the ultimate test of that commitment. In the new normal, corporate social responsibility has moved from the realm of philanthropy to a strategic consideration. With all systems put to the test, "winners take all" is giving way to stakeholder capitalism. Development finance expert Dr. Frannie Léautier, Senior Partner and CEO of Southbridge Investments has spent decades deploying capital to address the world's most challenging health, economic, and social circumstances. She discusses how she's putting that knowledge to use to pioneer a new framework of responsible investments to grow the next generation of African champions for the post-pandemic era.

As the first Sub-Saharan nation to gain its independence from colonial powers, Ghana has long been a beacon of leadership in Africa. While political and economic instability sidelined its ambitions in the 80s and 90s, today this powerhouse now finds itself on the rise. In recent years, Ghana has become a hub of entrepreneurship, a cultural capital, and an attractive business environment for global companies — leading tech giants are now scrambling to set up shop on its shores. And for the black diaspora, Ghana is a symbolic home: its recent "Year of Return" drew hundreds of thousands of tourists hoping to find their roots. Ghana’s Ambassador to the U.S. Baffour Adjei Bawuah has witnessed the evolution of his country's story first hand. He reflects on Ghana's incredible journey so far, diplomacy in the age of Covid-19 and strengthening ties with the global community.

Storytelling on Africa is often distorted — an incomplete image of war, poverty and corruption that fails to recognize its evolving political, economic and socio-cultural fabric and the success stories on the rise. The gap between reality and fiction has real-world consequences for everyday life from public health to trade and investment. In this special two-part episode of Afro-Catalyst, we unpack the downsides of the single story and how the African narrative is set to change as regional integration gives the continent a stronger collective voice on the world stage.

If 1960 was the “year of Africa,” now we find ourselves in the “African century.” While the promise of the post-colonial era fell flat in the ensuing decades, many African economies have matured in recent years. From Ghana to Kenya, the numbers now speak for themselves, but the growth remains uneven across the region. For all the innovation of “Yabacon Valley” and Kigali Innovation City, some African countries and cities risk being left behind. What lessons can be learned from the continent’s success stories and how can these be replicated on a larger scale? Join us for a fascinating conversation about the continent’s journey from the 1960s to its aspiration to become the next economic powerhouse with the policymakers and business leaders charting its success and training the architects of its future.

With Afrobeats taking off internationally, music from the continent can now be heard in all corners of the world partly thanks to homegrown artists such as Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, and even Beyoncé who featured leading African artists such as Shate Wale on her latest album. But away from the global success stories lies an industry that has not necessarily attracted the infrastructure or investment required to drive growth in the sector and support job creation throughout the continent. Experts believe the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) could emerge as a key driver of inclusive growth, while also setting the stage for exciting collaboration across borders.