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Alliance of Sahel States Stepping Forward With Common Economic and Security Aspirations

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Sahel States

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

On January 29, 2025, within rapidly geopolitical changes in West African region, three landlocked countries namely Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, members of the newly created Alliance of Sahel States (AES), declared their withdrawal from the most influential bloc – Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The first implication was that 2025 marks the 50th year of the establishment of ECOWAS. Undoubtedly, it will simultaneously remain in history of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as the period of their exit from the 50-year-old regional bloc, established by the Treaty of Lagos in May 1975.

Perhaps, ECOWAS has been fractured with uncertain future. On the other side, the AES will seemingly grow in strength as republics of Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Ghana and Senegal have shown signs of unswerving support for the newly-created security organisation in the region. Despite broader criticisms and emerging challenges, AES has the capacity to forge expected integration and to tackle existing diverse obstacles while navigating further for strategic external collaboration.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) was established on September 16, 2023 with the signing of the Liptako-Gourma Charter by the States of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. These three countries share the cross-border region of West Africa and the Sahel called “Liptako-Gourma” from which it derives the symbolic name of the Charter. It is a collective defense bloc aimed at countering any military intervention or any external threat including terrorism and with the ambition of economic integration.

Since last year, the AES has focused on structuring projects in the fields of energy, infrastructure, transport and food security. The trio aims to create an economic and monetary union, as well as its own currency which should be based on the natural resources of the member countries in the Confederation.

The collective initiatives undeniably are at the formative stage, fostering consciousness on structuring operations and functional directions notwithstanding the multiple roadblocks from ECOWAS. That however, worthy to indicate here that particular concern emerging from different regional organisations and the African Union underscores the rising assertiveness of AES.

At a glance, Burkina Faso is a driving force, while Mali and Niger have, in practical sense, shown the pathways for evolutionary influence as well as shaping a codified dynamism to hold the alliance in form towards achieving its primary security objectives and economic development aspirations.

For over a year, their joint effective strategy has been working, and the collective divorce from ECOWAS late January 2025 was an irreversible factor, that was based on the fact that ECOWAS has unprecedented weaknesses, combined with historical record-breaking failure in its mandate to maintain regional security.

In short, the rising insecurity situation has undermined regional cooperation, set the stage for dissatisfaction among the member states. With the sudden withdrawal from the 15-member ECOWAS, it is understandable Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have attained the collective independence, and prepared to form this new forward-looking regional partnership bloc popularly referred to AES.

ECOWAS and African Union’s Reactions

Reactions from both the ECOWAS and African Union (AU) were ‘business as usual’ characterized by official administrative statements. Late January after the three French-speaking West African States officially exited, the Peacekeeping and Regional Security Commission of ECOWAS said the remaining members tentatively had agreed to ‘keep ECOWAS doors open’ by recognizing national passports and identity bearing the bloc’s logo from the countries, to continue trade under existing regional agreement, and to continue diplomatic cooperation with the countries.

The statement noted that the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger from ECOWAS has become effective on 29th January 2025. While the Regional Security Commission has set up a structure to facilitate discussions on these modalities with each of the three countries, its official statement categorically noted the following:

  1. a) recognize National passports and identity cards bearing ECOWAS logo held by the citizens of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, until further notice.
  2. b) continue to treat goods and services coming from the three countries in accordance with the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and investment policy.
  3. c) allow citizens of the three affected countries to continue to enjoy the right of visa free movement, residence and establishment in accordance with the ECOWAS protocols until further notice.
  4. d) provide full support and cooperation to ECOWAS officials from the three countries in the course of their assignments for the Community.

In addition to above-mentioned developments, the Political, Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) headquartered in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, has also expressed high-level concern over the deteriorating standing of ECOWAS as a regional bloc and the security situation in West Africa region.

The AU, of course, raised an unequivocal condemnation of the final decision and withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS. But factually, the AU’s reaction was distinctively similar, in terms of administrative and bureaucratic wording of the official statement, mostly for the sake of filling in the space, under-estimated the long-term repercussions and impact on the developments in the region.

Reaffirming solidarity by the African Union with ECOWAS in enforcing its mandate and high-lightening the importance durable peace, security, and sustainable development as enshrined or stipulated in the documents. The AU employed such phrases as ‘respecting the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity’ contained their established documents of ECOWAS.

Endowed Natural Resources

In any case, understanding economic potentiality and sustainability is crucial at this stage.  The economic potential is huge, as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger put together holds tremendous untapped resources.

According to various sources, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger territorially share borders together and are landlocked countries in West Africa, in the Sahel region. They are geographically bio-diverse, which includes plentiful reserves of gold, manganese, copper and limestone, and other invaluable natural resources. The land mass is huge for traditional agriculture, but public infrastructures are poorly developed across the region of their location. Predominantly, the system of state governance combined with gross lack of finance are the main obstacles to sustaining development.

As known in these African countries, the French adopted a form of indirect rule, allowing existing native structures to continue to exist within the colonial framework of governance. But now reawakening to the neo-colonial administration and opaque system of government control have a significant impact on current political development. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, to some considerable extent have the human capital.

The 2024 estimates of population have revealed that Burkina Faso has 22.5 million, Mali which is the eighth-largest country in Africa, has approximately 21.9 million people while Niger has 26.5 million. The UN Development Program Report (2024) ranked Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as the Sahel countries with the lowest category of development index in the world.

The future growth may only be sustained by the exploitation of natural resources and that must necessarily be tied to the development of the economy, building infrastructure and focus on reducing poverty in these French-speaking West African countries.

Future Economic Implications

AES has the capacity and commitment to address development shortfalls. Several development initiatives were already taken in this direction to stimulate the economic sectors, particularly in the priority areas of agriculture, livestock, health, and energy infrastructure.

Burkina Faso currently stepping efforts in agricultural sector, while Mali and Niger restructuring roles of foreign players in exploiting mineral resources suc as gold and uranium. This allows greater economic and political autonomy in order to strengthen their sovereignty. Perhaps, they will further have the opportunity to pursue more economic policies in line with the existing realities dictated by the political environment and to bolster aspirations of maintaining stability across their landlocked region.

Obviously, the AES is getting oriented towards multi-polarity, which is intended to be a more inclusive and concerted approach, where different countries and regions work together to find common solutions. By pursuing the principles of the multipolarity, world, the AES could engage in pragmatic win-win partnerships to advance their interests for the purposes of economic development and growth, and stability.

The AES collective pledge further requires making collaborative efforts and, in a systematic manner, work towards sustainable development, find better chances for practical solutions to existing economic deficiencies. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have to adopt strategic positions, first, in West Africa, and generally in Africa.

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Leveraging Kendrick Lamar Blueprint: How African Artists & Brands Can Maximize Global PR Impact

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Kendrick Lamar Blueprint

By Philip Odiakose

If you followed, watched, or were live at the Super Bowl you will agree with me that Kendrick Lamar’s presence at the Super Bowl was not just another high-profile performance; it was a masterclass in media influence, narrative control, and cultural imprinting. His ability to spark conversations, drive digital engagement, and shape public discourse proves the power of deliberate strategic media positioning. Through the lens of media intelligence and PR measurement, we can dissect how African artists and brands can replicate this effect to elevate their global presence. Beyond the entertainment factor, Lamar’s performance provided key lessons in media reach, sentiment shifts, and strategic PR execution—areas that African PR professionals and communicators must internalize to maximize value from major events.

PR measurement data from the event shows a surge in Lamar-related conversations across digital and traditional media. His name dominated print, web, and social trends, appearing in over 1.2 million posts within 24 hours, with a sentiment distribution leaning 67% positive, 21% neutral, and 12% negative. The performance’s impact was amplified by major media outlets covering the event in North America and Europe, as well as select African countries, particularly Nigeria and South Africa. This media traction is a testament to the significance of strategic placements, showing how a single moment can redefine public perception and commercial value. For African artists and brands, the ability to secure a presence at major global events must be seen as more than a mere appearance—it is a PR opportunity that must be measured, optimized, and aligned with long-term communication objectives.

One of the biggest takeaways from Lamar’s Super Bowl presence is the deliberate storytelling approach. He was not just performing; he was communicating a narrative. African artists and brands must be intentional about their messaging when engaging global platforms. Media intelligence specialists can help track how narratives evolve, what themes resonate with audiences, and how to pivot when necessary. Sentiment analysis also plays a crucial role, revealing how different audience segments react and allowing for swift reputation management. Many African brands struggle with post-event PR impact analysis, often focusing solely on momentary buzz without extracting long-term insights from media data.

The concept of “The Kendrick Lamar Effect” speaks to leveraging credibility, cultural influence, and performance metrics to sustain media momentum beyond a single event. African PR professionals must learn from this by ensuring that every global engagement translates into measurable brand equity. This means that artists, influencers, and corporate brands must work with media intelligence teams to quantify their impact, benchmark against industry standards, and ensure PR campaigns are not just reactive but proactive. The challenge many African entities face is the lack of structured measurement frameworks that tie media exposure to business or career objectives. This knowledge gap is where PR measurement must step in to bridge the disconnect.

A vital lesson from Lamar’s Super Bowl impact is the role of multi-channel amplification. The performance itself was one layer, but the true media influence was built through post-event interviews, media engagement, and collaborative content syndication. African PR teams must adopt an omnichannel approach to PR execution, ensuring that media exposure is not short-lived. This requires a strategic mix of traditional media placements, influencer partnerships, and digital storytelling. In PR measurement, it is crucial to analyze which media channels drive the highest engagement and conversion rates, ensuring that communication strategies are data-driven rather than intuition-based.

Looking at case studies from both African and global perspectives, we have seen how the absence of media intelligence has led to missed opportunities. Burna Boy’s Coachella moment, for instance, was a landmark global exposure, yet the post-event PR lacked the necessary follow-through in structured PR measurement. In contrast, brands like Nike and Pepsi have perfected the art of extending media relevance beyond an event moment by employing predictive analytics, sentiment tracking, and engagement mapping. This difference in execution is a key area where African PR professionals must evolve—ensuring that global opportunities do not just end with event visibility but translate into long-term influence and business value.

Beyond just media coverage, there is also the crucial aspect of audience behavior analysis. Lamar’s performance was not just about numbers; it was about how his audience engaged, shared, and created conversations. African PR professionals must shift from vanity metrics to behavioral metrics, focusing on how audience perception changes post-event. Did the media narrative drive new brand partnerships? Was there an uptick in music streaming or product purchases? These are the questions that media intelligence must answer, ensuring that PR efforts are aligned with tangible outcomes.

The overarching lesson for Africa’s PR and communications industry is that major events are PR goldmines—but only if approached with precision, backed by intelligence, and measured effectively. Lamar’s Super Bowl presence serves as a playbook for how media influence can be engineered through strategic PR planning, near real-time sentiment tracking, and multi-platform amplification. African artists and brands have the talent and potential; what remains is the intentional use of media intelligence to ensure that every opportunity is maximized to its fullest potential. PR measurement is not an afterthought—it is the foundation for sustainable media success.

Philip Odiakose is a leader and advocate of PR measurement, evaluation, and media monitoring in Nigeria. He is also the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, a member of AMECNIPR, AMEC Lab Initiative, AMCRON and ACIOM

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The Future of Product Management: Key Industry Trends to Watch in 2025

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Princess Akari

By Princess Akari

If you had told me five years ago, when I was just transitioning into product management, that the role would look like this today, I might not have believed you. But after five years working as a Product Manager (PM), I’ve seen how fast the industry moves, and 2025 is set to bring even bigger changes. Product managers who stay ahead of these changes will build better products and grow their careers. Those who don’t may struggle to keep up.

Here are some key trends to watch and how to adapt.

1.    AI, AI, AI!

AI has rapidly gained popularity and continues to grow in influence. For product managers, understanding and using AI tools is now becoming essential, as AI is transforming how we work. Understanding what we can achieve with AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), is essential. Some of the top use cases include content generation, customer support automation (e.g. chatbots), code assistance, research summarization, personalized learning, virtual assistants, data analysis, creative brainstorming, language translation, and much more. Also, as a PM, AI can be introduced into your product to improve user experience and in turn business outcomes.

You might be asking yourself, what can I do to stay in touch with this AI trend? You can start by learning how AI tools can improve your daily workflow, do your own research on the numerous AI tools available and their capabilities. Experiment with AI-driven analytics, user feedback tools, etc. Be very curious and get your hands on as many AI resources as possible.

I recently got an AI micro-certification from Product School. If you’re interested, You can take the course here. Recently as well, I hosted a podcast episode on building AI products, transitioning into AI, and using AI in product development. For Apple podcasts, you can listen here, and for Spotify, you can listen here. These are great resources to give you a good head start.

Other resources; deeplearning.ai, Hugging face, Alpha signal, The Neuron.

2.    The definition of “Product Manager” is changing

A few years ago, we had a fairly standard definition of who a PM was and what a PM does. The role of a PM was more standardized, with a clear set of expectations and responsibilities. But as the years have come by, the world has changed and so has the role.

Today, we’re seeing an increased number of specialized PM roles. Some PMs focus on emerging technologies like AI, while others work deeply within data, design, growth, engineering, or operations. Beyond skill-based specializations, some PMs are industry-specialized, such as Fintech PMs, Healthtech PMs, or E-commerce PMs. No two PM roles look the same anymore.

Companies are increasingly hiring specialized PMs to tackle specific challenges, prioritizing specific skill sets and industry experience over conventional backgrounds. Instead of looking for a PM generalist who can adapt to anything, they create detailed role descriptions with targeted skill requirements, tailoring the role to solve specific business challenges. As a result, we’re seeing more unconventional hires stepping into PM positions because they have the exact expertise needed to tackle a company’s unique problems. This highlights an important reality for generalist PMs, specialization is becoming more valuable.

If you’re currently a generalist PM, it’s worth considering how you can narrow your focus, whether by choosing a particular industry or developing expertise in areas like AI, data, growth, design, or technical product management. The demand for specialized skills is growing, and upskilling in these areas will make you more competitive in the job market.

3.    PMs are now taking ownership beyond product development

Product managers used to mainly focus on the tech team (engineers, designers, QAs, etc) to build and launch products. But these days (and even in recent years), the role has grown much bigger. PMs are now more involved in the business side of things, leading and guiding business verticals. The role now extends into profit and loss (P&L) considerations and the overall commercial success of a product. They work closely with marketing, sales, finance, and customer support to make sure the product succeeds, not just in how it’s built but also in how it’s launched, sold, and maintained.

PMs are now more involved with how the product will reach customers and profitability. They work closely with marketing and sales teams to ensure a strong product positioning and a seamless launch. It’s no longer just about building a great product, it’s about making sure it reaches the right customers, at the right time, with the right messaging. Ensuring people understand what the product does and why they should use it. This requires PMs to understand their competition, pricing strategies, and customer acquisition channels.

I am well aware that in some companies PMs are now responsible (fully or partially) for pricing and revenue strategies, just as much as the product features. They work with finance and business teams to figure out pricing options and ideas on how that business unit can make a profit. As these companies look for sustainable growth, PMs are also expected to collaborate with customer success teams to improve retention and customer lifetime value.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, product management is constantly changing and so are we as PMs. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give, it’s to stay curious and adaptable. We should be open to continuous learning and new ways of thinking. The more we adapt, learn, and refine our skills, the more valuable we become. There’s always something new to explore, and that’s what makes the role so dynamic.

And if you’re looking for the best place to put your product management skills to practice, join me at Moniepoint – https://www.moniepoint.com/careers

Princess Akari is a product manager at Africa’s fastest-growing financial institution, Moniepoint

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Content Piracy: A Global Initiative Against a Global Enemy

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Content Piracy

By Temiloluwa Olajide

It’s no longer news that piracy is a global enemy, one that has destroyed and continues to destroy the work and livelihoods of countless creatives. From film and music to sports broadcasts and television series, piracy robs rightful owners of their earnings and threatens the sustainability of entire industries.

As a global scourge, it requires a global response and fortunately, powerful partnerships are being forged across the planet  and across sectors  to protect content creators and the industry they work in. These partnerships involved digital content platforms, law enforcement bodies, cybersecurity firms and tech companies,  all working together to ensure the viability of the industries that inform, educate and entertain audiences.

At first glance, piracy might seem like an easy way to access free entertainment, but its consequences run deep, affecting both individuals and society as a whole. On a personal level, streaming a sports event or show from an illegal site can expose users to serious risks, such as malware infections, identity theft, or financial fraud. Hackers can gain access to sensitive information, including bank details, potentially wiping out accounts. The damage caused by such crimes far outweighs the satisfaction of watching a football match for free.

Beyond personal risks, piracy also cripples the creative sector by siphoning revenue away from legitimate rightsholders. When movies, music, and sports events are illegally distributed, producers and creatives do not receive their due earnings. This lack of compensation disrupts the industry, leading to fewer productions, job losses, and weakened investment in new content.

Nigeria has one of the most vibrant entertainment industries in the world, with Nollywood ranking as one of the biggest film industries globally and Afrobeats taking center stage in international music charts. The potential for even greater success is huge, but piracy poses an obstacle.

MultiChoice, a key investor in local content, has spent years bringing high-quality productions to audiences, yet piracy continues to threaten the industry.

Illegal streaming of sports events, reality TV shows, and locally produced series remains a major concern. This is particularly critical as the platform regularly broadcasts live feeds of many of the most popular sporting events on earth—F1, the Olympic Games, Euro, World Cup, and Champions League football, as well as popular local leagues.

Beyond sports, Africa Magic and Showmax Originals have become home to some of Africa’s most beloved entertainment shows, including hits like The Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOLagos), Big Brother Naija, and Nigerian Idol.

With content available in 40 languages and a growing library exceeding 84,000 hours, these platforms play a vital role in African storytelling. However, the rise of illegal streaming not only impacts revenue but also threatens the sustainability and growth of the creative industry.

To counter this, MultiChoice has joined forces with Partners Against Piracy (PAP) and cybersecurity firm Irdeto, actively tracking and shutting down illegal operations in multiple African nations.

With piracy tactics evolving, the fight against content theft must also advance. Strong collaborations, advanced technology, and public awareness are key to protecting the creative industry. By shutting down illegal operations and promoting legal alternatives, organizations like MultiChoice, PAP, and Irdeto are ensuring that content creators receive their rightful earnings and that audiences can continue to enjoy high-quality entertainment.

Ultimately, safeguarding creative content is not just about protecting businesses—it’s about securing the future of storytelling, preserving jobs, and ensuring that Africa’s thriving entertainment industry continues to grow. The fight against piracy is a shared responsibility, and by supporting legal content, we all contribute to a stronger, more sustainable creative economy.

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