By Lakshaa Puran
As the global communications industry continues to place greater emphasis on diversity, inclusion and cross-border collaboration, questions remain about whether young public relations professionals in Africa have equal access to the opportunities needed to build internationally competitive careers. While the continent is home to the world’s youngest population and a rapidly growing communications sector, many aspiring practitioners continue to face barriers to global training, certification and professional networks.
These challenges are at the heart of a recent research project by Adedoyin Jaiyesimi, a Strategic Communications Advisor and Co-Founder of The Comms Avenue, a pan-African platform dedicated to strengthening Africa’s communications talent pipeline. Conducted through the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Research Fund, the study examines the structural obstacles limiting young African PR professionals’ participation in the global industry and proposes practical recommendations to make professional development more accessible, relevant and collaborative. In this interview, Jaiyesimi reflects on the inspiration behind the research, discusses the findings, and shares why investing in Africa’s next generation of communicators is essential not only for the continent, but for the future of the global public relations profession. Excerpts:
1. Your report highlights the barriers that many young African PR Professionals face when trying to access global PR opportunities. What inspired you to research on this issue and why do you think it has been overlooked for so long?
Running The Comms Avenue for the past six years has given me a front‑row seat to the realities and barriers young African communicators face. I’ve seen many of them ask questions about pathways, training and certification for their professional development. Through our mentorship and capacity‑building programmes, I observed the same pattern repeat itself: young professionals were hungry for growth, but the systems within the industry were not fully built with their realities in mind
So, when I saw the announcement for the CIPR Research Fund, it felt like a natural step to turn these observations into evidence. I knew that not only would the research highlight the barriers and gaps, it would also bring the issue to the centre stage in a way that would lead to tangible solutions.
I believe this issue has been overlooked for so long because we haven’t had the data to show us the scale of the structural barriers that young African communicators face and how it is hindering their professional development. Without data, the barriers remain invisible, and when barriers are invisible, it is difficult to address them.
2. Your research suggests that young African professionals are often grouped into a general category of practitioners rather than being studied separately. Why is it important to recognise them as a distinct group within the Global PR industry?
It’s important because the African context is fundamentally different from other global markets. When young African professionals are grouped into a broad global category, it is very easy to miss the nuance and the unique challenges that they face.
Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. This means that the future of the PR profession, both within Africa and globally, will be shaped by this demographic. In a few years, these young professionals will be at the forefront of leading the PR industry and managing reputation for different organisations within and outside the continent.
It is therefore essential that they are adequately trained and equipped to work at the highest levels of global professionalism. To do this, we must understand their specific needs, listen to their voices, recognise their pain points and support them accordingly.
3. It was stated in the report that 62% of respondents struggled with the cost of PR training and 52% identified professional membership fees as a barrier, which is one of the biggest challenges faced by young PR professionals. In your view, what practical steps can Global PR Associations take to make training and certification more affordable?
This is actually one of the revealing findings from the research. Across the continent, cost is a huge barrier that prevents young professionals from accessing training, certification and other professional development opportunities.
Global PR Associations can introduce pricing structures that reflect regional income levels. This ensures that professionals in low‑income economies are not priced out of global training and certification.
Aside from discounted fees based on regional income levels, they can also introduce more flexible payment options. For young Africans navigating rising living costs and limited disposable income, paying a lump sum for certification is often an impossible feat. Monthly or quarterly payment options will go a long way in significantly reducing the financial burden.
Finally, they can partner with institutions and individuals who are committed to youth development for endowments and continent-wide scholarships.
4. You proposed the ARC model, which is Accessibility, Relevance and Collaboration as a practical solution to the barriers faced by Young African PR Professionals. Which of these 3 pillars do you believe will create the greatest change and what challenges do you anticipate in putting it into practice?
The ARC (Accessibility, Relevance, Collaboration) model was designed to be interconnected. So, the effectiveness of the model comes from being able to adopt it holistically. Accessibility opens the door, relevance ensures the content of training fits the African context, and collaboration gives room for impact across the continent to be scaled.
However, if I have to choose one pillar that would make the greatest change, I would choose Accessibility. This is the first step in dismantling the structural barriers because without access, relevance and collaboration cannot take root.
In terms of implementation, the main challenge I anticipate is sustainability. Global associations must strike a balance between affordability and financial viability. They have to find a way to offer discounted training and certifications to young African professionals in ways that preserve their long-term sustainability. Another challenge is alignment. Collaboration between global and national associations requires shared goals and coordinated execution to deliver meaningful impact.
If these challenges can be overcome, the ARC model will become a powerful framework for transforming access to global PR knowledge for young Africans.
5. If global and national PR associations around the world could take just one of your recommendations and put it into practice next year, which one would you want them to focus on first? And why do you think that recommendation would make a difference for young African PR Professionals?
For global associations, I would prioritise two recommendations under the Cost and Advisory themes:
- Create affordable pricing structures for professionals in low-income economies, with discounts and flexible payment plans.
- Establish regional advisory boards to provide counsel to the global leadership team and guide programme and curriculum design.
Affordable pricing will create immediate impact, while the regional advisory boards will ensure improved contextual relevance and stronger collaborations.
For national associations, I would prioritise Collaboration:
- Collaborate with global associations and explore signing MOUs to ensure increased representation of young professionals in global conferences, training and other relevant activities.
Again, this successful collaboration will have an immediate impact for young African professionals.
6. What message would you want PR leaders and employers around the world to remember about the value that young African PR professionals bring to the global communications industry?
Young African professionals are talented, ambitious, and eager to build globally competitive careers. They are eager to learn, eager to grow, and eager to add value. That ambition deserves to be nurtured and supported.
The global communications and PR profession needs a strong pipeline of skilled and globally competitive talent to remain relevant and sustainable. If we fail to create opportunities for young African professionals to access training, certification, mentorship, and global networks, we limit not only their potential but also the future of the profession itself.
When we nurture the ambition of young African communicators, we are investing in the future of the profession and strengthening the global communications and PR industry.
The full report is available for further reading : Impact Beyond Borders: Expanding Global Access for Young African Communicators
