NAIROBI, Kenya — In a digital landscape often dominated by international perspectives on African innovation, a new publication has emerged with a different mission: to tell African technology stories from the ground up.
Preach.Africa, which officially launched today, positions itself as a platform dedicated to documenting Africa's digital revolution through in-depth reporting, analysis, and storytelling about technology, innovation, and culture across the continent.
"We're tired of the parachute journalism that flies in, gets a quick quote, and leaves without understanding the context," said founding editor Amara Diallo in an interview. "African innovation isn't just about startups raising millions. It's about grandmothers using mobile money for the first time, students building solutions for their communities, artists using new platforms to share ancient stories."
The publication launches at a critical moment. While international media coverage of African tech has increased in recent years, critics argue it often focuses on the same narrative arcs: "Africa rising," unicorn startups, or Silicon Valley comparisons. What gets lost, according to the Preach.Africa team, are the grassroots innovations, cultural contexts, and local impacts.
Preach.Africa's editorial approach emphasizes three core principles: depth over speed, context over sensationalism, and diverse voices over single narratives. Each story undergoes a rigorous fact-checking process and includes extensive local sourcing.
"We're building a network of correspondents across all 54 African countries," explained technology editor Kwame Asante. "Not just in capital cities, but in secondary towns, rural areas, and regions that rarely get media attention. We want to understand how technology is actually being used and adapted in different contexts."
The platform has already attracted attention from readers across the continent and diaspora. Early stories have covered topics ranging from vernacular AI development in Ethiopia to community-owned solar grids in Malawi to digital art preservation in Senegal.
Launch week features several exclusive stories, including an in-depth look at Mziki Africa, a platform preserving traditional African music; a comprehensive analysis of the 2024 African tech landscape; and profiles of founders building the next generation of digital platforms.
"We're not just reporting on innovation; we're trying to innovate in journalism itself," said Diallo. "That means experimenting with formats, prioritizing accessibility, and building sustainable models that don't rely on sensationalism or clickbait."
The publication will operate on a hybrid model: free access to most content with premium features for subscribers. A portion of revenue will fund reporting grants for early-career journalists across Africa.
"This is more than a media startup," concluded Diallo. "It's an archival project for our digital age. We're documenting the stories that will help future generations understand how Africa shaped and was shaped by the technological transformations of our time."