This week, I had the privilege of moderating a panel at Black Week—one of the few spaces where Black excellence isn’t performative, where economic power is the focus, and where the conversations don’t just inspire, they equip.
Black Week continues to set the standard for what intentional, impactful convening should look like. It’s a space that brings together the best minds in media, marketing, and business to have conversations that actually move the needle. And this year’s programming reminded me exactly why events like this are critical—not just for representation, but for economic transformation.
But before I dive into the event itself, I need to address something that’s been sitting with me: the language we use when we talk about Africa.
Africa Hasn’t Been Dormant
When I was asked to moderate a panel titled “Africa Rising,” I paused. The phrase, while well-intentioned, implies that Africa is just now waking up—that we’re emerging from some dormant state, finally ready to participate in the global economy.
But that’s not the story.
Africa has always been here. For centuries, the continent has been a center of innovation, trade, and cultural power. What we’re witnessing now isn’t a “rise”—it’s a return. It’s a reclamation of economic power after decades of colonial extraction, structural adjustment programs, and narratives that erased our agency.
The current momentum across the continent, the tech unicorns in Lagos, the creative exports from Accra, the investment flowing into Nairobi—isn’t emergence. It’s recovery. It’s Africans rebuilding what was always ours, on our own terms.
The Panel: Reframing the Narrative
At Black Week, I had the honor of sitting with Caralene Robinson (CMO of Global Citizen), Abiola Oke (CEO of Adisa), and Sinde Chekete (Special Advisor to the President of Benin) brilliant minds who are actively shaping the future of African business, investment, and narrative.
Our conversation wasn’t about potential. It was about power already present.
We talked about:
- Self-determined innovation – Why African solutions, built by Africans for African realities, are outpacing imported Western models
- Diaspora as bridge builders – How we reconnect with the continent without centering Western validation or perpetuating extraction
- Economic collaboration over charity – Moving from aid mentality to true partnership, where investment flows both ways
- Tangible progress on the ground – Real examples of African nations creating enabling environments for business and growth
One of the most exciting parts of our conversation came from Sinde Chekete, who shared the transformative work happening in Benin.
Benin: A Case Study in Removing Barriers to Entry
Benin is doing something remarkable that more people need to know about: they’re actively reducing barriers to entry for entrepreneurs and investors.
The government has implemented reforms that make it easier to:
- Open businesses with streamlined registration processes
- Access citizenship pathways for diaspora members and investors who want to build long-term roots in the country
- Navigate regulatory environments that historically have been obstacles to growth
This isn’t just policy, it’s strategic economic positioning. Benin is saying to the world: We want you here. We’re making it easier for you to build, invest, and grow with us.
This is the kind of forward-thinking governance that creates sustainable ecosystems. It’s not about handouts or charity, it’s about creating conditions where entrepreneurship can thrive, where capital can flow efficiently, and where the diaspora can meaningfully reconnect with the continent.
Hearing Sinde break this down was a reminder that the opportunities in Africa are real and actionable, but they require us to pay attention to the countries actively doing the work to make investment accessible.
Connectivity, Partnership, and Collaboration
What struck me most throughout the panel was the urgency around connectivity, partnership, and collaboration. The opportunities in Africa are real—but they require the right people at the table. Not brands treating the continent as a monolith. But storytellers, operators, and strategists who are already on the ground doing the work.
Countries like Benin are showing us what’s possible when governments prioritize access. But even with progressive policies, success requires partnerships with people who understand the nuances—the cultural contexts, the regulatory landscapes, the consumer behaviors that vary from country to country, region to region.
The Importance of Getting Market Entry Right
As someone who consults individuals and organizations on market entry and cultural strategy, I can’t stress this enough: partnership matters more than presence.
Too many companies approach Africa with extraction in mind, treating it as the next frontier to “tap into” without investing in the infrastructure, the people, or the long-term relationships that make sustainable growth possible.
If you’re serious about engaging with African markets, here’s what I know to be true:
- Find the storytellers already there. The people building ecosystems, training talent, and creating pathways don’t need to be discovered, they need to be resourced.
- Invest in local expertise. Cookie-cutter strategies don’t work. Every country, every region, every city has its own nuances. You need people who understand policy, culture, and consumer behavior on the ground—people like Sinde who can tell you why Benin’s reforms matter and how to navigate them effectively.
- Lead with humility. Africa doesn’t need saviors. It needs partners who are willing to learn, listen, and co-create rather than impose.
The companies and leaders who understand this are the ones who will win—not just financially, but in building legacies that actually matter.
Why Black Week Continues to Set the Standard
Conferences are exhausting. Most of them are performative sometimes panel after panel of people saying the same thing, with no actionable takeaways and no real sense of community.
Black Week is different, and it keeps getting better.
It’s one of the only spaces where I can walk into a room and instantly feel safer. Where I’m not the only executive with a passion. Where I don’t have to code-switch or explain why representation matters. Where the conversations are honest, the knowledge-sharing is generous, and you actually leave with something tangible.
This year, I had the privilege of catching up with friends and colleagues who are still fighting the good fight:
- Nikki Sparrow from iHeartMedia, doing incredible work amplifying underrepresented voices in media
- Conversations about The Black Effect, Charlemagne tha God’s podcast network that’s reshaping how we consume Black content
- Don Lemon’s presence and candor about the state of media
- Joy-Ann Reid’s panel on the future of media, which was absolutely sensational, sharp, unflinching, and necessary
Every conversation reminded me why this work matters. Why we need spaces like Black Week. Why we need companies bold enough to sponsor the future of media, the future of marketing, and the future of economic power.
The Economic Impact of Black Week
Let’s talk numbers, because representation without resources is just optics.
Black Week isn’t just a feel-good moment, we know this - it’s an economic engine. It creates:
- Job opportunities for creatives, marketers, and strategists
- Pipeline development for emerging talent in media, tech, and entertainment
- Partnership pathways between established companies and small businesses
- Knowledge transfer that equips the next generation of leaders
The ripple effect of events like this extends far beyond the conference itself. It’s in the deals that get made in hallway conversations. The collaborations that form over coffee. The young professionals who see themselves reflected in the speakers on stage and realize, “I can do this too.”
When companies sponsor Black Week, they’re not just writing a check—they’re investing in an ecosystem. And the return on that investment? It’s generational.
A Call to Action
If you’re a company or individual looking to engage with African markets, here’s my challenge to you:
Be bold enough to invest, not just extract.
Sponsor organizations like Black Week that are doing the infrastructure work. Partner with consultants and strategists who understand cultural nuance. Build relationships with the people already on the ground creating change.
Pay attention to countries like Benin that are actively removing barriers and creating pathways for investment. Learn from leaders like Sinde, Caralene, and Abiola who are building bridges between the diaspora and the continent.
And if you’re in the diaspora, whether you’re an executive, a creative, an investor, or just someone who cares then ask yourself: How am I showing up for the continent?
Are you a consumer, or a co-creator?
Are you learning from the people doing the work, or are you assuming you already know?
Are you building bridges, or are you just taking up space?
Africa doesn’t need more people talking about its potential. It needs partners who recognize its power and are willing to invest accordingly.
I’m grateful to Black Week for continuing to create the space for these conversations. I’m excited to see where this momentum leads. And I’m committed to doing my part as always consulting, connecting, and amplifying the work that’s already happening on the ground.
About the Author:
Tope Ajala is a cultural strategist and consultant specializing in market entry, brand positioning, and storytelling across African and diaspora markets. She is the host of Life to a Teee, a podcast exploring how executives balance legacy, leadership, and life.