China is increasing its efforts to dominate Africa’s media landscape by leveraging state-controlled platforms, forging partnerships with local news outlets, and conducting journalist training programmes, according to recent reports.
According to a report on ADF, experts have raised concerns over China’s growing influence, which they described as a strategic move to shape perceptions and project itself as a benevolent partner on the continent.
Mitchell Gallagher, a researcher on China’s media influence overseas, described the situation as a “war for Africa’s media soul.” He noted that although some African media outlets have given favourable coverage to China, there are emerging signs of resistance.
“The ploy appears to be paying dividends, with evidence of sections of the media giving favourable coverage to China,” Gallagher wrote in The Conversation Africa magazine. “But as someone researching the reach of China’s influence overseas, I am beginning to see a nascent backlash against pro-Beijing reporting in countries across the continent.”
In recent years, China has significantly invested in African media through platforms such as China Global Television Network (CGTN) Africa and collaborations with regional stations.
Meanwhile, researchers Haruna Mohammed Salisu and Idris Mohammed have pointed out that these partnerships often promote a narrative of Africa- China cooperation while downplaying China’s human rights record and political system.
China’s approach to media influence has been linked to its broader strategy of “media warfare,” an official component of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) policy since 2003. The strategy aims to influence public opinion and persuade government officials to adopt policies favourable to Beijing.
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Harsh Pandey, a researcher from the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, noted that China’s push to shape global narratives began in 2008, with significant funding directed towards building media infrastructure in Africa.
“It started in Africa,” Pandey stated. “China announced a whopping sum of more than $6 billion to make its presence felt in the global media landscape.”
China’s efforts include recruiting African journalists and influencers with lucrative salaries and career incentives to work for CCP-controlled agencies. Notably, the Xinhua News Agency has established 37 offices across the continent, more than any other media organisation.
Despite China’s attempts to shape the narrative, there is growing resistance from African media professionals and watchdogs. In Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, concerns have been raised over prioritising Chinese-produced content over local stories. Similarly, South African media watchdogs have criticised what they see as an erosion of press freedom linked to Chinese investment.
