Latest news with #LailaBastati
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Regulatory Risk, Reputation, and the New Role of Comms in Africa (By Laila Bastati)
By Laila Bastati, Chief Commercial Officer, APO Group ( Strategic communications is in a pressure phase. Regulation is moving faster. Investors are watching harder. And public backlash arrives in hours, not days. Across industries, communications is no longer just about visibility – it's about viability. For leaders in Africa's most dynamic sectors, comms has become a frontline function for managing regulatory complexity, investor expectations, and social trust. It's no longer optional. It's operational. In Africa, where younger regulatory systems can be fragmented and enforcement uneven, this shift is sharper. A missed message doesn't just weaken reputation but risks investor confidence, compliance, and public trust – making strategic comms no longer optional. It's operational. In PRCA Africa and APRA's 2024 report on the state of PR and ethics in Africa, risk preparedness comes out as a leading communications challenge across the continent. It's an insight echoed in APO Group's own client data. In the first half of 2025, demand for reputational crisis support rose significantly. A dipstick poll of our 57,000+ LinkedIn network also flagged energy and sustainability, and tech and digital as sectors in need of attention in Africa. The takeaway: visibility alone is no longer enough. Here are three sectors where the pressure is most acute. 1. Energy and sustainability: ESG expectations without the guardrails With COP30 approaching and ESG frameworks being reassessed globally, African energy players are under the pump. The EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has been delayed, while the US SEC has scaled back ESG disclosure rules. Meanwhile, the UN's 2025 SDG Progress Report shows that only 15% of goals are on track. In this vacuum, the narrative is up for grabs. From Nigeria's diversification strategy to South Africa's unbundling reforms and Namibia's green push, communicators must now translate ambiguity into trust-building messaging. And sustainability communications must stand up to activist, investor, and local scrutiny without the cushion of global consensus. 2. Tech and digital: AI moves faster than the messaging In Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana, AI adoption is racing ahead of legislation. This puts PR teams on the front line: managing deepfake risk, public confusion over AI applications, and the reputational implications of algorithmic bias – all before regulatory frameworks are finalised. Without this certainty, legal and compliance voices are prone to shaping communications more conservatively. The next frontier is electoral interference: with several African nations holding elections in 2025, concerns are mounting that AI-generated misinformation, including deepfakes, could be used to manipulate public sentiment or discredit political figures. Already, the African Union and Kenya's National Cohesion and Integration Commission have raised early warnings about AI-driven disinformation campaigns seeded through social media networks. For PR teams, this means that election-year communications strategies must now include real-time fact-checking, media training to counter visual manipulation, and crisis protocols for false attribution. Meanwhile, Kenya's Data Protection Act and other regional privacy laws are reshaping how companies communicate consent and transparency. Cybersecurity threats are now regular boardroom topics, and PR teams must respond with proactive, trust-driven messaging strategies. 3. Financial services: Rebuilding trust in a high-friction regulatory era As Africa's fintech sector matures, communications leaders are navigating not just launch PR, but investor confidence issues and consumer trust erosion. The Central Bank of Nigeria's mobile money rules and the East African Community's cross-border payments integration are prompting firms to localise trust messaging in real time. In Ghana, the Bank of Ghana suspended the operations of several digital lenders in 2024 over breaches of consumer protection rules. This came after a spike in complaints about predatory loan terms and data privacy violations. The fallout damaged public trust and exposed a gap in crisis preparedness: many brands lacked clear communication during enforcement and struggled to rebuild credibility. In 2025, those that recovered best were the ones who treated communications as a regulatory ally, not an afterthought. What next: Strategy, not sentiment From image-building to operational discipline, comms leaders across sectors must recalibrate. High-performing teams embed communications into policy forecasts, regulatory roadmaps, and investor dialogues – not just campaigns. And responses must be turned around in hours, not days. Done well, communications can be an organisation's operating system for trust, alignment, and action – and in 2025, the difference between proactive and reactive comms is reputational survival. APO Group's work across 54 African markets shows: comms delayed is opportunity lost. The question is no longer whether to elevate comms, but whether you've waited too long. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group Insights. About APO Group: Founded in 2007, APO Group ( is the leading pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. Renowned for our deep-rooted African expertise and expansive global perspective, we specialise in elevating the reputation and brand equity of private and public organisations across Africa. As a trusted partner, our mission is to harness the power of media, crafting bespoke strategies that drive tangible, measurable impact both on the continent and globally. Our commitment to excellence and innovation has been recognised with multiple prestigious awards, including a PRovoke Media Global SABRE Award, and multiple PRovoke Media Africa SABRE Awards. In 2023, we were named the Leading Public Relations Firm in Africa and the Leading Pan-African Communications Consultancy Africa in the World Business Outlook Awards, and the Best Public Relations and Media Consultancy of the Year South Africa in 2024 in the same awards. In 2025, Brands Review Magazine acknowledged us as the Leading Communications Consultancy in Africa for the second consecutive year. They also named us the Best PR Agency and the Leading Press Release Distribution Platform in Africa in 2024. Additionally, in 2025, we were honoured with the Gold distinction for Best PR Campaign and Bronze in the Special Event category at the Davos Communications Awards. APO Group's esteemed clientele, which includes global giants such as Canon, Nestlé, Western Union, the UNDP, Network International, African Energy Chamber, Mercy Ships, Marriott, Africa's Business Heroes, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, reflects our unparalleled ability to navigate the complex African media landscape. With a multicultural team across Africa, we offer unmatched, truly pan-African insights, expertise, and reach across the continent. APO Group is dedicated to reshaping narratives about Africa, challenging stereotypes, and bringing inspiring African stories to global audiences, with our expertise in developing and supporting public relations campaigns worldwide uniquely positioning us to amplify brand messaging, enhance reputations, and connect effectively with target audiences.
Business Insider
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
APO Group celebrates Africa Day with a bold reminder: We've been leading strategic communications across the continent for almost two decades
But for some of us, Africa is not a campaign. It's not a market. It's home. At APO Group, we don't just 'show up' for Africa Day. We've been here, every day, for almost two decades, amplifying African stories, building brands and reputations, and connecting the continent to the world. Africa is not a monolith. It is 54 nations, over 2,000 languages, and countless nuances that demand deep respect. Understanding it takes commitment. And APO Group, the leading, award-winning pan-African media relations and communications consultancy, has it. APO Group has helped thousands of African CEOs land global coverage, launch pan-African unicorns, and turn local brands into international headlines. This Africa Day, we're not launching a campaign. We're just reminding everyone that if you want to do communications in Africa, it helps to know Africa. At a time when global PR firms headquartered in the USA are announcing their new Africa-focused teams — complete with four pins on a map and a flurry of buzzwords — APO Group is celebrating the one thing no one can copy overnight: authentic, home-grown, on-the-ground experience. From Dakar to Dar es Salaam, Cairo to Cape, APO Group's pan-African team has been delivering real impact across the continent; not just in press releases, but in powerful results. With expert consultants in every region, local insights and expertise, and a reputation built on trust, APO Group is more than a communications consultancy. It is Africa's most established strategic communications powerhouse. 'Africa Day is a reminder of what makes this continent extraordinary – its people, its voices and its unstoppable momentum', said Rania El Rafie, Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Communications at APO Group. 'Africa is more than a continent to us — it's our home, our expertise, and our commitment.' 'While others are hiring team members for Africa, our people are already embedded in the culture, language, and industries that drive the continent forward.' With clients spanning multinational corporations, African companies and organisations, public sector institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders, APO Group has earned its reputation as the leading communications partner of choice for organisations serious about Africa. What sets us apart is our remarkable performance: A network that spans all 54 African countries, with local experts in every region; Strategic guidance grounded in local insight; A legacy of hundreds of successful campaigns, from strategic communications to crisis response; Longstanding media partnerships that foster transparency, credibility, and positive storytelling. 'We believe great communication in Africa starts with listening, not just broadcasting. And it takes consistency, not just campaigns,' said Laila Bastati, Chief Commercial Officer at APO Group. 'This is why we've built trust with stakeholders from all over, by showing up year after year, and delivering every time.' While others are just mapping out how to enter Africa's fast-moving markets, APO Group is already there — co-creating growth stories with African businesses, institutions, and communities. 'For us, Africa isn't a new frontier — it's the centre of everything we do,' added Bastati. 'Our track record speaks for itself. This Africa Day, we're building on a legacy.' APO Group is reflecting on a proven track record and preparing for the next decade of growth and storytelling that elevates Africa on the global stage. 'This Africa Day, we're not launching — we're reaffirming,' said Bastati. 'Reaffirming our commitment to the continent, to our clients, and to the people and stories that shape Africa's future.' Work with the team that's already there! Happy Africa Day. From Africa's strategic communications leader. About APO Group: Founded in 2007, APO Group ( is the leading award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. Renowned for our deep-rooted African expertise and expansive global perspective, we specialise in elevating the reputation and brand equity of private and public organisations across Africa. As a trusted partner, our mission is to harness the power of media, crafting bespoke strategies that drive tangible, measurable impact both on the continent and globally. Our commitment to excellence and innovation has been recognised with multiple prestigious awards, including a PRovoke Media Global SABRE Award and multiple PRovoke Media Africa SABRE Awards. In 2023, we were named the Leading Public Relations Firm in Africa and the Leading Pan-African Communications Consultancy Africa in the World Business Outlook Awards, and the Best Public Relations and Media Consultancy of the Year South Africa in 2024 in the same awards. In 2025, Brands Review Magazine acknowledged us as the Leading Communications Consultancy in Africa for the second consecutive year. They also named us the Best PR Agency and the Leading Press Release Distribution Platform in Africa in 2024. Additionally, in 2025, the Davos Communications Awards 2025 awarded us the Gold Award for Best PR Campaign and the Bronze Award for Special Event. APO Group's esteemed clientele, which includes global giants such as Canon, Nestlé, Western Union, the UNDP, Network International, African Energy Chamber, Mercy Ships, Marriott, Africa's Business Heroes, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, reflects our unparalleled ability to navigate the complex African media landscape. With a multicultural team across Africa, we offer unmatched, truly pan-African insights, expertise, and reach across the continent. APO Group is dedicated to reshaping narratives about Africa, challenging stereotypes, and bringing inspiring African stories to global audiences, with our expertise in developing and supporting public relations campaigns worldwide uniquely positioning us to amplify brand messaging, enhance reputations, and connect effectively with target audiences.
