Seife Deribe Urges Addis Ababa Summit Creators to Promote African Narratives
Seife Deribe used the African Social Media Influencers Summit in addis ababa on May 8, 2026 to press African creators to use their platforms to promote authentic African narratives. The Ethiopian News Agency CEO said misinformation and outdated stereotypes still distort Africa’s image, and he cast the summit as a response to that pressure.
“This gathering is more than a conference — it is a defining moment for Africa,” Deribe told the summit in Addis Ababa. He said the event’s theme was “Influence for a Better Africa,” and described the room as a place where “The authors of Africa’s new story are in this room.”
Addis Ababa and Africa’s Story
Deribe said hosting the summit in Addis Ababa carries symbolic significance, calling the city Africa’s political capital. He tied that setting to Ethiopia’s ongoing development efforts and to a broader story of transformation across Africa, placing the summit inside a political as well as cultural frame.
He also said Africa continues to face misinformation, conflict, social division, and fragmentation. That was the friction running through his appeal: creators were not being asked only to post more often, but to take part in reshaping how Africa is seen while those pressures remain in place.
Seife Deribe’s Call to Creators
Deribe urged African social media influencers to take a more active role in reshaping global perceptions of the continent. He called on creators to celebrate African culture, promote innovation, uplift women’s leadership, and reject exploitation and abuse in digital spaces.
“We are gathered here among visionaries, storytellers, innovators, and cultural architects who are shaping how Africa sees itself and how the world sees Africa,” he said. He added, “Africa is no longer waiting for others to define its story,” and warned, “But misinformation, division, and conflict continue to threaten our unity and progress.”
What Comes After the Summit
The immediate outcome is a public push for African influencers to treat digital platforms as a space for narrative control, not just reach. For creators in the room, Deribe’s message set a clear expectation: the work now is to make African stories visible, resist distortion, and carry that frame beyond the summit hall.
