New dawn for automotive journalism in Africa: AAAJ launches in Kigali

Africa's automotive industry has a new champion: the Association of Africa’s Automotive Journalists (AAAJ). This organization was launched at an event in Kigali, Rwanda. It unites experienced motoring journalists from across the continent. The goal is to promote professionalism and excellence in automotive reporting.

The launch featured new Volkswagen models. Over 25 journalists attended from countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia. They also came from Mauritius, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Malawi.

Mike Ochonma spoke at the event. He is the former Chairman of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association. Ochonma said AAAJ resulted from years of collaboration among journalists in Sub-Saharan Africa. He emphasized that AAAJ aims to shape automotive storytelling in Africa.

The newly announced executive team includes:

- Mike Ochonma (Nigeria) – President
- Trevor Lamenya (Kenya) – Vice President
- Fact Jeke (Zimbabwe) – Secretary General
- Moses Akaigwe (Nigeria) and Richard Wiley (South Africa) – Advisers

More leadership roles will be filled soon.

Ochonma outlined AAAJ's vision: to be the leading platform for African automotive journalists. The mission is to create a space for idea exchange and elevate reporting standards. This will help provide credible narratives about Africa’s auto ecosystem.

AAAJ has several core objectives:

- Organizing training workshops and seminars.
- Promoting knowledge-sharing in auto journalism.
- Creating a unified platform for news and analysis.
- Advocating for accurate reporting.
- Recognizing excellence through annual awards.

AAAJ aims to support the Association of African Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM). AAAM has led industrialization efforts since 2015 by promoting regional value chains. Their work aligns with AAAJ’s goal of highlighting Africa's role in the global auto landscape.

Industry leaders showed strong support for AAAJ. Martina Biene from Volkswagen Group Africa congratulated the leadership team. Victoria Backhaus-Jerling from AAAM also pledged support. Both encouraged AAAJ to reshape narratives about Africa’s auto sector through impactful storytelling.

As Africa leverages the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), AAAJ is ready to play a vital role as storytellers of progress on the continent.

For updates on AAAJ and automotive journalism in Africa, follow Ryde Channel.

Edward Boateng Opoku, known as Eddie Poku, authored this article. He runs Ryde Channel on YouTube, featuring car reviews and coverage of automotive events. Connect with him on YouTube at Ryde Channel or visit www.rydechannel.com for more information.