CNN International Commercial and Dangote Industries Limited have entered a new multi-year global partnership aimed at showcasing African businesses and the continent’s growing influence on the world economy.
A central feature of the collaboration is Africa Inc., a new half-hour CNN International programme hosted by Nigerian journalist Adefemi Akinsanya. The programme will examine how African companies are competing and expanding on the global stage, covering sectors including technology, hospitality, manufacturing and entertainment.
The series is designed to present Africa not simply as an emerging market but as an increasingly influential force shaping global commerce, innovation and consumer trends.
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Africa Inc. will premiere on CNN International on August 29, 2026, with four additional episodes scheduled through 2026 and into 2027. Bi-monthly segments will also run across CNN International, supported by digital and social media content on CNN.com.
The partnership extends beyond the television programme. CNN’s in-house creative studio, Create, will produce a branded content series titled Africa First, focusing on Africa’s drive towards energy independence and broader economic transformation. The campaign will use documentary-style films, data-driven articles and social content, with Dangote Industries featured as an example of the continent’s industrial development.
The wider campaign will run across CNN International, CNN.com and CNN Arabic, as well as CNN Business platforms on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Africa First content will also appear on CNN’s US television and digital platforms.
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Dangote Industries will additionally sponsor three editions of CNN’s Global Perspectives events franchise over the next 12 months, giving the partnership a live-events dimension beyond broadcast and digital media.
CNN International Commercial’s Senior Vice President for Advertising Sales, Cathy Ibal, said the partnership would help bring stories of African innovation, resilience and leadership to an international audience.
For Dangote Industries, the collaboration is part of its broader global brand-positioning strategy. Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer Anthony Chiejina linked the initiative to the company’s Vision 2030 economic blueprint and its industrialisation agenda.
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Akinsanya, who joined CNN from Arise News, is based in Lagos and brings experience from international outlets including Reuters, Al Jazeera, Sky News and TRT World. Her appointment places a Nigerian journalist at the centre of a programme focused on Africa’s evolving role in the global economy.
The partnership represents a significant media platform for African businesses seeking greater international visibility, while giving Dangote Industries an opportunity to position its industrial expansion within a wider narrative about Africa’s economic transformation.
