The real challenge is not just who reports Africa, but who sets the agenda and shapes how its stories are understood

When it comes to media in all its formats, Africa does not lack voices. It has thousands of newspapers, radio stations, television channels and digital platforms. What it often lacks is equal power to shape international conversations about its own affairs, and the resources to ensure that African perspectives reach audiences beyond the continent. The real challenge is who sets the agenda, the background and chooses the frames through which events are understood, breaking out of the stereotypes. And above all, who decides which voices deserve to be heard.

There is an important distinction between challenging an unequal international media landscape and achieving genuine media independence.…