This article was contributed to TechCabal by Bemi Idowu. 

2024 was another eventful year for Africa’s tech ecosystem. Over the 12 months, the continent minted two new unicorns, witnessed the expansion of 5G connectivity, and embraced the integration of Artificial Intelligence into key sectors such as agriculture and education. As a keen observer of the ecosystem and a strong advocate for innovation, it was inspiring to see the continued development and success of solutions tailored to African realities.

As a public relations and communications professional, I am particularly interested in how these developments and successes are framed to ensure the continued success of all involved. Too often, framing the conversations is seen as merely an exercise in driving visibility and little else. Public relations – the process of shaping effective perceptions of people, products, and services – can influence every stage of the sales funnel—building awareness, nurturing interest, fostering decision-making, and driving action. It can ensure that people don’t just hear about your product and service but also understand and trust it enough to choose it over alternatives consistently.

Emphasis on stronger brand identities and differentiated narratives

In an increasingly crowded and competitive landscape, we have reached a tipping point where perception has become a key factor in how customers make their choices. A beneficial perception can be the deciding factor, especially with products and services with undifferentiated products. Studies have also shown that brand trust is a crucial factor for most consumers when making purchasing decisions. 75% of B2B buyers consider brand a significant factor in purchase decisions. 

Take, for instance, the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Both product lines offer high-performance processors, advanced cameras, sleek designs, and similar price points in their flagship models. Yet, the iPhone is often perceived as “premium” by many users. This stems from Apple’s narrative around its ecosystem of products, its software experience, prestige, and other factors.

For African tech companies looking to establish or maintain their leadership in the marketplace, Apple and Samsung’s example offers valuable lessons on the importance of a strong brand identity, a differentiated narrative, and consistency in execution. We need to see more of this in our ecosystem.

Amplify the opportunity, not the problem

Another key issue is the ideology of ‘leading with the problem.’ In other contexts where the perception tends to be that everything is fine, a ‘lead with the problem’ narrative makes a lot of sense. It is an effective way to highlight gaps in the market that would otherwise have been overlooked. However, in an African context where the tendency is not to assume that all is well, hingeing your narrative on yet another thing that is not working as it should doesn’t work the same way. This is not to say problems should be ignored or not given due attention. The point is that where we place the spotlight in the narrative makes all the difference.

While opportunity-focused narratives draw attention to strengths and possibilities, problem-focused narratives undermine what is possible at the expense of short-term gains. Opportunities are more attractive. An opportunity-focused narrative also encourages optimism and a proactive mindset and is more likely to attract aspirational stakeholders, such as investors and partners. The narrative around Africa’s problems is saturated as it stands and I am particularly eager for more balance on that front.

PR is not just for fundraising and product announcements

In 2025, I have a dream that public relations will be considered more widely as an integral part of business operations for African tech companies. It’s not just a tick-box exercise for when you’ve raised money or have a new product or service to shout about. Some responsibility for the state of affairs falls on PR professionals and we have to own the corner we’ve boxed ourselves into. 

However, we all know that there is more to PR than funding and product announcements. Public relations and communications are about shaping the most beneficial perceptions of people, products, and services, as well as creating narratives that inspire confidence, drive loyalty, and set organisations apart in a competitive marketplace.

In the year ahead, I hope that African tech companies will rethink their approach to communications – not just as a tool for visibility but as a driver of sustainable growth and global competitiveness. The potential to reshape how the world views Africa’s contributions to innovation and the value of having the most beneficial narratives around African innovation is immense, and it’s time we stepped boldly into that narrative.

________

Olugbeminiyi (Bemi) Idowu is the founder and managing director of Talking Drum Communications, a public relations and communications consultancy that empowers organisations innovating in Africa to effectively connect with their target audiences by crafting and sharing impactful stories that underpin accelerated growth, increased profitability, and ongoing success.