August 07, 2024 • 815 views
But when someone asks, “How do people find out about you?” the honest answer is usually: mostly word of mouth, a few Instagram posts, and hope.
This is the gap that public relations was built to fill.
And for African startups competing in one of the world’s most dynamic, fast-moving, and trust-driven business environments, getting PR right is not optional — it is a survival skill.
This guide breaks down exactly what PR is, why it matters for early-stage African businesses, and the practical tactics you can start using today — whether you have a full marketing budget or none at all.
Let’s clear up the most common confusion first.
Public relations is not advertising.
When you pay for a billboard on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway or run a sponsored post on Instagram, that is advertising — you control the message completely because you are paying for the placement.
Public relations is fundamentally different.
PR is the art of earning coverage, credibility, and attention without paying for the placement directly.
When a journalist at TechCabal writes a feature on your startup, when a podcast host invites you on as a guest, or when a respected industry voice shares your story — that is PR.
And it is worth exponentially more than any ad you could buy because a third party is vouching for you.
“In Africa’s trust economy, what others say about your brand is worth one hundred times more than what you say about yourself. PR is the discipline of shaping what they say.”
— MyMediaAfrica
This distinction matters deeply in the African context.
Research consistently shows that Nigerian and broader West African consumers place enormous weight on social proof, community recommendation, and third-party endorsement.
A feature in BusinessDay, a mention by a respected LinkedIn voice, or coverage on a popular Yoruba-language radio programme carries the kind of credibility that no paid ad can manufacture.
The most common objection we hear at MyMediaAfrica is:
“We’ll focus on PR when we’re bigger.”
This is understandable — but backwards.
Here is what actually happens to brands that delay PR:
Every month you operate without a PR foundation is a month of compounding invisibility.
In Lagos specifically — a market of over 20 million people, hundreds of competing startups, and attention that is genuinely the scarcest resource — the brands that build their story early are the ones that dominate when the market matures.
You do not need a massive budget to start doing PR.
You need a clear story, a list of relevant media contacts, and the discipline to communicate consistently.
The startups that win with PR are rarely the richest — they are the ones that started earliest and stayed most consistent.
You do not need a retainer with a PR agency to begin building your brand’s media presence.
These five tactics are accessible at every stage and collectively form the foundation of a serious PR operation.
Every startup has an origin story, but most founders cannot articulate it in under 90 seconds in a way that makes a journalist want to write about it.
Your PR story needs three components:
Generic mission statements do not get coverage.
Vivid, human stories do.
Identify 15–20 journalists, editors, and creators who cover your specific industry across Nigeria and Africa.
Examples:
Follow them on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.
Engage genuinely with their content before pitching them.
A warm media relationship converts far better than a cold pitch.
When journalists become interested in your story, they should find everything they need immediately.
Your press kit should include:
Store everything in a Google Drive folder you can share instantly.
Journalists on deadlines rarely wait for back-and-forth emails.
Every major milestone in your startup journey is a media opportunity:
These are called news hooks — timely reasons for journalists to cover your story.
Plan your PR calendar in advance and start building media relationships before major announcements happen.
Write LinkedIn articles.
Contribute op-eds.
Publish blog content regularly.
Position yourself as one of the most informed voices in your industry.
African media constantly looks for expert commentary on fintech, agri-tech, payments, consumer behaviour, and emerging trends.
Founders with a strong body of published insights naturally become the obvious voices journalists contact.
The perfect pitch is brief, personalised, and timely.
Most media pitches fail because they are:
A Specific Subject Line
Avoid:
“Press Release: Company XYZ Announces New Product.”
Instead:
“How a Kano entrepreneur is solving the ₦800bn cold storage problem.”
A Timely First Paragraph
Connect your story to something happening right now:
A Short Introduction
Explain who you are and why your story matters in no more than three sentences.
A Clear Ask
Examples:
Follow up once after 5–7 days, then move on respectfully.
Long-term journalist relationships matter more than a single feature.
Early-stage startups should handle their own PR initially.
It sharpens storytelling and helps founders understand what narratives resonate.
As companies grow, many adopt a hybrid model:
The important thing is ensuring PR is treated as a business function — not an afterthought.
Public relations is not a luxury for African startups.
It is how trust is built at scale.
Your customers, investors, and future employees will Google your brand before engaging with you.
The question is not whether you need PR — the question is whether you will control your narrative or allow someone else to define it.
Start with your story.
Build your media list.
Create your press kit.
Publish your first thought leadership piece.
And when you are ready to accelerate — whether through a funding announcement, major launch, or pan-African expansion — MyMediaAfrica is here to help you build that visibility.