Black House Media (BHM), a global public relations and communications agency, has announced the expansion of its annual report on the public relations and communications sector to all of Africa.
Starting this year, BHM’s annual report on the public relations and communications sector in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, will be expanded to cover all 53 other African countries with a combined economy of over $2 trillion and over 1 billion population.
As the first-ever report dedicated entirely to the African continent’s public relations and communications industry, it will include verified facts and statistics on the public relations industry, analysis that can help governments and multinationals make better decisions, resources and recommendations that can help practitioners build better careers and business models, and it will be designed to improve and deliver value to all stakeholders.
This development comes five years after Nigeria and the UK-based research and intelligence unit launched the Nigeria Public Relations Report, which aimed to put Nigeria on the global communications industry map by gathering expert insights and analysis and examining the challenges and opportunities within Nigeria’s fast-growing public relations industry.
Ayeni Adekunle, BHM founder, in a press release said: “After five years, we are pleased to confirm we are now expanding our research to cover a continent that holds plenty of promise for the global communications sector.
“We hope the Africa PR and Communications report will quickly become the authoritative voice in the industry, providing insights, data, and useful information for those working here, as well as everyone outside looking in.”
With 54 countries and an expected GDP of $5.6 trillion in four years, the continent is home to six of the top ten fastest-growing economies in the world. It is predicted that three of these countries – Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt -will continue to remain in the top 10 by 2050.
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The African business climate has continued to grow at a quick pace, according to data from the consumer and business landscape, with the market value of the top 250 companies in Africa increasing by 69 percent to roughly $710 billion. Despite the fact that the COVID-19 epidemic has continued to have a negative impact on the global economy, there are signs of recovery.
According to Ayeni, nothing can be achieved without data-driven insights that will give the proper advisory required and by sampling well-founded world reports such as the Holmes Report, World Development Report, Relevance Report, Edelman Report, and others, a standard global report can be created.
The Africa PR and Communications report is being compiled in partnership with the Public Relations and Communications Association, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, CIPR International, the International Communications Consultancy Organisation, Africa Communications Week, Wadds Incorporated, ID Africa, Plaqad Incorporated, and Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants with other partners to be announced.
Moliehi Molekoa, a member of the APR board and MD of Magna Carta, a pan-African reputation management consultancy, said PR professionals, now more than ever, have an increased duty to advise clients based on sound data and experience and APCR (African Public Relations and Communications Report) will be one of the key sources of that data.
“We are filling a void within the industry, and this report will better equip us as professionals as well as the businesses about the African PR landscape. It will provide valuable insights and how to build, manage and protect reputations with the overall aim of elevating the role the industry plays in brand building,” Molekoa said.
