Africa’s information landscape is shifting faster than ever. As mobile access expands and millions join the digital conversation each year, news and opinions are now instantaneous. With over half the population under 35 and social media becoming the primary news source, information moves fast—but verification isn't keeping up.
The surge in misinformation is structural, not seasonal. Documented disinformation campaigns in Africa have climbed nearly fourfold since 2022, reaching 189 in 2024 and touching at least 39 countries. Rapid digital adoption has produced roughly 600 million internet users, with Nigeria and Kenya ranking among the highest globally for time spent on social platforms and for concern about false information.
Election cycles act as accelerants. With 19 national polls in 2024, political disinformation spiked, from attempts to discredit South Africa’s process after the vote to influencer‑driven, inorganic hashtags around Nigeria’s 2023 elections. What’s more, financial stress, despite high formal inclusion, leaves millions reliant on credit and more vulnerable to scams and misinformed claims about financial products.
The widening authenticity gap
Against this backdrop, trust is both scarce and more valuable than ever. PwC’s 2024 Voice of the Consumer shows a widening gap between perceived and actual trust in brands.
People prize transparency, yet distrust grows amid economic pressure and a noisy information environment. Generative AI raises the stakes further, accelerating synthetic content and widening the authenticity gap that brands must work harder to close.
Discussions during Global Communications Week made it clear that consumers have high expectations for brands. This is echoed in We. Communications' latest Brands in Motion research, which shows that South Africans increasingly feel the world is becoming more complicated, citing the rapid expansion of digital channels, the swift spread of online information, and the rise of AI as key factors.
In this environment, people are turning to brands for guidance, seeking radical transparency and genuine authenticity, not just in messaging, but woven into the very way organisations operate.
They want vulnerability from brands, but only when it is authentic. That means plain language about what a company knows, what it does not, and why difficult decisions are being made.
It means prioritising values and tangible social impact over slogans. And it involves recognising that audiences are increasingly unforgiving of hollow messaging; generic talk of “resilience” without follow‑through alienates rather than reassures.
Meeting this moment requires more than campaign craft. It calls for mechanisms that reduce exposure to mis‑ and disinformation by design, sustained investment in the fact‑checking ecosystem, and hard evidence of impact.
We Communications
28 Jul 2025Putting it into practice
Take, for example, the Pan-African Media Innovation Programme. Developed in partnership with the University of Johannesburg and The African Editors Forum, this initiative funds a 12-week fellowship spanning the continent, designed to strengthen newsroom resilience against fake news and threats emerging in the AI era.
Building on a successful pilot in Nigeria, the programme now operates in more than 18 markets. By investing in fact-checking, data journalism, digital security, and ethical standards, the very foundation of the information ecosystem is being reinforced - a clear demonstration that trust is something to be earned through action, not merely broadcast as a marketing message.
Platforms and partnerships leading the way
Trust can be built directly into the platforms where people engage with content. In the lead-up to South Africa’s 2024 election, TikTok launched an in-app election guide in partnership with the IEC.
Rather than relying on visible banners, verification was seamlessly integrated into the user experience. This impact was further magnified by broader ecosystem cooperation, such as Africa Check mobilising outlets and leveraging AI tools to detect and counter viral falsehoods in near real time.
These efforts demonstrate how strategic brand and platform collaboration can significantly strengthen domestic capacity for trust and information integrity.
Lessons from the private sector
Financial services brands are evolving alongside these trends. Standard Bank, for example, combined engaging storytelling, through its Fraud Is No Fairytale campaign, with real-time debunking of ongoing scams, such as fake WhatsApp investment groups and counterfeit apps.
By directly naming deceptive tactics and the individuals behind them, the bank empowered consumers to take swift action. This approach proves that raising awareness, when paired with immediate protection, delivers both an effective message and a meaningful safeguard.
The lessons travel. When the goal is to curb misinformation, mechanisms beat messages. And product defaults that reduce exposure build trust faster than advisories. In the wake of Global Communications Week, the mandate is practical and immediate.
Trust is a system you design, a behaviour you repeat and a receipt you show. Brands that embrace that standard will not only navigate the next misinformation wave, they will define what reputation means in a fast, young, mobile Africa.
This article follows Sarah Gooding, MD of We. Communications Africa presenting at School of Communication and Reputation’s (SCoRe) in Mumbai’s Virtual Global Communications Week.
