In our research department in SembraMedia, we are convinced that to understand where digital journalism is headed, better comprehend news ecosystems, and build community through connections and opportunities, we need a truly global perspective.
After a year of intense work with Global Project Oasis, we officially present the results of our mapping and research in a new region: Africa. Access the report here and explore the global directory here.
This research, led by SembraMedia with support from the Google News Initiative and developed alongside local partner Code for Africa, identified, contacted, and analyzed more than 750 digital news organizations across seven countries: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa.
Our goal was not to represent an entire continent—one that is incredibly diverse and complex, made up of multiple media ecosystems and hundreds of languages. This study is merely the first chapter. It’s a starting point to get to know the independent digital media outlets in these seven countries, understand their challenges, and, above all, learn from them: their resilience strategies and their ways of connecting with audiences.
Five key takeaways from Project Oasis Africa
- The dominance of colonial languages. A total of 64% of the surveyed media organizations publish primarily in English, followed by French (28%) and Arabic (6%). Together, these three languages account for nearly all media offerings. This leaves a significant void for Indigenous languages, limiting access to public interest information for many local communities.
- Hyperlocal news gaps. We also identified a massive gap in local coverage. The vast majority of outlets focus on national or international issues, while organizations dedicated to reporting on cities, towns, neighborhoods, or rural communities represent just 5% of the total. In countries such as Kenya and Ghana, this proportion is even lower.
- Business models. In line with other regions we’ve mapped in Project Oasis, most outlets are registered as for-profit organizations (62%). One of the biggest differences is the larger presence of hybrid models (13.5%) compared to other regions such as Latin America or Europe, where they account for only 3%. These outlets tend to have larger, more diverse teams and appear better equipped to face financial uncertainty.
- Leadership and gender. There is still a long way to go in terms of equity. Only one in three mapped organizations has at least one woman among its founders. We also found a striking contrast: female founder participation is considerably higher in nonprofit organizations and hybrid media than in for-profit news companies.
- Key coverage topics. Unlike other regions where human rights lead the agenda, the most covered topic in Africa is Economy and business (91%), followed by Society and human rights (70%).
This research is just the beginning of our journey in the region. We are convinced that these findings will help media leaders, donors, and academics strengthen an ecosystem that is vital for democracy and civic engagement in Africa.