Startups in Africa have a reason to smile as a new communications and media firm launches to help them get publicity globally.
The firm dubbed as Nyota Media, is Africa’s first communication and PR agency for innovative African entrepreneurs, start-ups, and international companies that use technology to improve the lives of Africans.
NYOTA MEDIA is based in London but will open office in Nairobi early 2013 and will focus on marketing, media, and brand development for African innovation companies.
According to former BBC Journalist Shaheera Asante, NYOTA MEDIA’s Founding Partner,“In the past 5 years the image and perception of Africa in the western media has changed beyond recognition to be the most innovative and exciting place to be, and rightly so.”
She says in Africa, media headlines report on how mobile apps are enhancing lives in all sectors such as agriculture, education, health, education, green tech and e-commerce, fashion, games and entertainment. She says Africa’s global reputation has positively improved.
According to Asante 7 out of 10 African countries (Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania, DR Congo, Ghana, Zambia and Nigeria) are fastest growing economies with an average GDP growth rate of nearly 7 percent with a combined population of 424 million people. There is therefore need for positive media.
Asante adds,“Long gone, thankfully, are the daily news feeds of war, poverty, starvation or corruption which was the only news reported on Africa by the very same media, who are now rushing to get the latest African innovation scopes and blog feeds – the progressive and brighter side of Africa was often ignored.” 
Rudy De Waele, a Mobile Strategist and Founding Partner of Nyota Media is positive about the innovations happening across Africa, he comments, “2012 has been a breakthrough year for innovative projects and mobile/technology startups in Africa. We’re entering an incredible prosperous time of market development, using innovation and mobile technology on the continent, The elements needed to create a healthy ecosystem which allows entrepreneurs and startups to grow in this area are coming together.”
The founding partners are not new on the African technology scene and are also well-connected within the international technology media. They therefore want to work with the international media and their African connections to showcase Africa’s growing technology sector.
NYOTA MEDIA has also released a presentation on Mobile Opportunities in Africa – Engaging with the next billion which was curated and presented by Rudy De Waele recently at the ForumOxford Mobile Apps and Technologies Conference 2013, at Oxford University.
and Rudy De Waele here
