In a continent where complexity is the norm and contradiction is the context, trust has emerged as Africa’s most valuable and most volatile currency.
This year’s Alabuga influencer scandal, which saw prominent South African creators promoting a Russian “work-study” programme later linked to an alleged forced labour, has exposed a deep fault line in Africa’s media and creator economy.
The fallout was swift and unforgiving. TikTok personalities like Seemah and Zillewizzy lost millions of followers and faced public scrutiny that extended far beyond social media.
But for Provit Chemmani, CEO Africa and Global MD of the Centre of Excellence at Havas Media Network, this moment is not just a scandal, it’s a signal.
“This is our cigarette-doctor moment,” Chemmani says. “It’s the point where we must decide whether we continue to chase virality at all costs, or whether we build a media ecosystem rooted in responsibility, transparency, and cultural intelligence.”
The fragility of influence
Africa’s creator economy is booming; valued at over $3 billion and growing. But as the Alabuga incident shows, influence without integrity is a liability. Chemmani believes the time has come for agencies, brands and platforms to co-create a new framework for ethical influence.
“Trust is not a KPI, it’s a public good,” he explains. “And in Africa, where media often fills the gaps left by institutions, Influence must not only sell but serve, empower and inform.”
At Havas, we are embedding this philosophy in practice. Havas Play connects brands to Africa’s cultural economy in ways that are both commercially effective and socially responsible. Havas Market is reimagining commerce, not only to drive transactions, but to deliver meaningful transformation.
Media buying in a post-trust era
The shift is not limited to content. The mechanics of media buying are also under scrutiny. At the 2025 Audience & Advertising Summit, industry leaders called for a rethink of how media is measured and monetised.
AI and blockchain are now being deployed to power fraud-resistant, hyper-targeted campaigns. But Chemmani warns that technology alone won’t solve the trust deficit.
“We’re not just buying impressions – we’re building trust,” he says. “And that requires more than algorithms. It requires listening to communities, understanding local nuance and being accountable for the messages we amplify.”
Leadership in a fragmented landscape
Africa’s media landscape is as fragmented as its markets. But Chemmani sees this not as a weakness, but as a proving ground for a new kind of leadership, one that is agile, inclusive and deeply contextual.
“Africa doesn’t need more aid, it needs agency,” he says. “And that agency begins with data ownership, digital infrastructure, and media strategies that reflect local realities, not global assumptions.”
From Nollywood’s global rise to Kenya’s fintech revolution and Ghana’s creative industries, Africa is showing how culture and commerce can scale without losing their local soul. The question is no longer how to impose global templates, but how to build strategies rooted in African realities.
At the 2025 Africa CEO Forum, the question of whether a new deal between state and private sector could unlock the continent’s potential was front and centre.
For Chemmani, the answer lies in strategic clarity and operational excellence. “We are no longer just brand custodians, we are nation-builders,” he says. “The future of Africa will not be outsourced. It will be authored by Africans who understand that trust is not a soft value, it’s a strategic asset.”
The future of leadership
As Africa continues to define its own narrative, the role of media leaders is evolving. The mandate is no longer just to communicate; it is to co-create. To build platforms that empower, not exploit. To elevate creators who inform, not mislead. And to ensure that every campaign contributes to something greater than profit: public trust.
“Africa is not waiting for the world to catch up,” Chemmani concludes. “It is designing its own future, boldly, intentionally, and unapologetically. And we must match that energy with vision, velocity and values.”
The leaders who thrive in Africa’s next decade will not be those with the largest budgets or boldest slogans. They will be those who can convert attention into trust, and trust into lasting impact.
That is Africa’s new currency
Provit Chemmani is CEO Africa and global MD COE at Havas Media Network.
