Dangote Partners CNN to Spotlight Africa’s Global Business Rise in New ‘Africa Inc.’ Series

Dangote Industries Limited and CNN International Commercial have entered a multi-year partnership that will spotlight Africa’s growing influence in global business, with Dangote sponsoring CNN’s new programme, Africa Inc.

The 30-minute series, hosted by Nigerian journalist Adefemi Akinsanya from Lagos, will explore how African companies in sectors including entertainment, hospitality, manufacturing and technology are expanding internationally, attracting investment, creating jobs and building globally competitive brands.

Africa Inc. premieres on CNN International on August 29, 2026, following the launch of short-form segments on August 5. Four additional episodes are planned through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027, alongside bespoke segments every two months, digital reports and social media content.

For Dangote Industries, the partnership provides a global platform to showcase its industrialisation drive and Vision 2030 economic blueprint. The campaign will run across CNN International, CNN.com and CNN Arabic, as well as CNN Business platforms on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, with additional branded content appearing on CNN’s US television and digital platforms.

CNN’s in-house studio, Create, will also produce Africa First, a branded-content series examining Africa’s pursuit of energy independence and economic transformation through films, data-driven articles and social content. Dangote Industries will feature as an example of the continent’s industrial development.

The partnership further includes Dangote’s sponsorship of three editions of CNN’s Global Perspectives events franchise over the next 12 months.

Akinsanya joins CNN from Arise News, bringing experience from Al Jazeera, Reuters, Sky News and TRT World. Her reporting has covered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Nigeria’s #EndSARS protests and the 2024 United States presidential election. She was a 2023 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.

"I'm thrilled to be joining CNN to launch Africa Inc. at such an exciting time for Africa's international story. Across the continent, we're seeing innovation, resilience and ambition transforming industries and creating opportunities with global impact. I'm looking forward to bringing these stories to CNN's audience," she said.

CNN International Commercial Senior Vice President for Advertising Sales, Cathy Ibal, said the partnership would help bring African innovation, resilience and leadership to a global audience.

“We are pleased to once again be working with Dangote Industries Limited to tell the stories of a self-sufficient Africa,” Ibal said.

Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Industries Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, said the collaboration forms part of the company’s global brand positioning strategy and will help showcase its Vision 2030 blueprint and industrialisation ambitions.

With the programme anchored from Lagos and backed by one of Africa’s largest industrial groups, the partnership offers a major international platform for telling the story of African businesses building for global markets.