Wangari Njathi Publishes Groundbreaking Research on Africa’s Digital Marketplace

Wangari Njathi, an assistant professor of integrated marketing communication at Seaver College, recently coauthored Digital Public Relations and Marketing Communications Trends in Africa, alongside Virginia Tech associate professor of communication Brandi Watkins. This new textbook, which was published by Routledge,  evaluates the rapid rise in the access, use and adoption of technology in Africa, as well as the factors contributing to the boom.

“Africa is the fastest growing population in terms of the youth,” says Njathi. “Seventy percent of Africa’s population is classified as ‘youth,’ and we know that this large segment of society spends at least 90 percent of its time online. Prior to this book, nobody had sought to understand how exactly young Africans spent their time on the internet or how various actors including digital platforms, consumers, brands, governments, academia, media, and non-profit, civil society organizations (CSOs) in the digital marketplace are contributing to the African digital economy."

Africa is distinguishing itself as a global technological frontrunner. Akin to previous research, Njathi describes it as the “next frontier” in the digital marketplace as a result of its young and internet-savvy populace. This opinion is notably shared by some of the largest internet companies in the world, including Google, Meta, Amazon, and Netflix, all of which have recently constructed international headquarters in Africa. 

Njathi’s most recent book is one of the first to reject the “Africa rising” narrative, which claims that the continent is lagging behind technologically. Instead, she evaluates the burgeoning tech marketplace of Africa using empirical data. The major findings of her research shed light on the accelerated usage of the internet, while at the same time, diagnosing lagging governmental policy reforms needed to keep technology moguls in check.

Beyond the empirical ins and outs of Africa’s digital revolution, Njathi hopes this book presents the world with a more accurate and informed view of life today on the continent as a whole; one she feels is missing in the popular media.

“Africa is typically characterized in a negative light,” explains Njathi. “It is portrayed as uncivilized and underdeveloped. Researchers in the past have said that Africa seems to be lagging behind, and the continent is described as a place of scarcity. But those familiar with the continent know that the digital marketplace and economy are unfolding extremely differently from what you see in these reports. The book delves into examples and case studies which illustrate this fact.

A native of Kenya, Njathi is passionate about depicting Africa’s technological uptake in an accurate light. She felt a responsibility as an African scholar to contribute to the creation of this textbook and retake some authorial control of her home continent, something she claims has been missing throughout history.

“My goal with this book is to show the power that Africa holds as a continent and how we can actually leverage the internet to promote digital economy and economic growth,” she says. “On top of that, the findings from this book can help various actors in the digital ecosystem, which includes PR and marketing practitioners, discover best practices, learn from key findings, and implement new practices into their business.”