MWC 25: Africa Must Tell Its Own Story— Canal+ Rwanda MD

Managing Director of Canal+ Rwanda and President of the French Business Club, Madam Sophie Tchatchoua, has made a compelling case for Africa to reclaim ownership of its stories and redefine how the world sees the continent.

Speaking at the Mobile World Congress (MWC25) in Kigali, she declared that Africa’s narratives must be written by Africans, for Africans—and shared with the world, backed by world-class production, training, and technological innovation.

“We want to elevate African stories to the world stage. We want to amplify their reach beyond the continent, reshape the narrative of Africa both at home and abroad, and tell Africa’s story in a way that resonates richly with the global audience,” she said.

In a passionate moment that drew applause from the audience, Tchatchoua drew a distinction between Hollywood’s portrayal of Africa and the authentic storytelling emerging from within the continent.

“When we tell the story of the Zulu king, Shaka Yalande, we are not doing Black Panther,” she remarked. “Both stories are great, but have you ever been to Wakanda? We are writing stories for Africa in Africa.”

For her, the goal is to make African stories ‘vocable’ — capable of travelling across borders and connecting with audiences everywhere.

Tchatchoua said the DNA of Canal+ lies in expertise — in training, co-production, and promoting local content — a model the company is now actively transferring across Africa.

“We are teaching how to tell a story better, how to rework a screenplay, when to use special effects — and how to make African stories shine,” she explained.

Through a mix of skill transfer, investment, and collaboration, Canal+ is empowering creators to produce high-quality African content.

She cited the success of Wan Ga—a local Rwandan production initiative—which has grown to produce over 450 hours of original content, including movies and series, broadcast entirely in Kenya’s local languages.

With over 20 million subscribers and 50,000 employees across more than 50 countries, Canal+ has become one of Africa’s largest entertainment platforms.

Each year, the network airs more than 10,000 hours of African content across its 72 channels, giving a powerful platform to African filmmakers, producers, and storytellers.

“We are not just a broadcaster,” she said. “We are a partner — helping African creativity flourish, grow, and reach every corner of the world.”

Tchatchoua acknowledged that technology presents both immense opportunity and serious challenges for Africa’s media landscape.

Canal+ is embracing this digital shift through its two major streaming and replay apps, offering over 50,000 pieces of on-demand content, as well as its integration with Showmax, part of the newly consolidated Canal+–MultiChoice Group.

“We must embrace technology to tell our stories our way,” she urged. “But while digital platforms expand our reach, they also bring threats — especially piracy.”

Piracy, she said, remains a daily battle that threatens the survival of Africa’s content industry. Canal+, in partnership with the Rwandan Ministry of ICT and national regulators, has already established a legal framework to combat the illegal reproduction and distribution of content.

“If we don’t protect our content, the industry will die,” she warned. “We must kill this virus.”

Tchatchoua ended on an optimistic note, highlighting Canal+’s recent acquisition of MultiChoice as a transformative moment for Africa’s media future.

The merger, she said, will create a true continental media and entertainment hub, uniting African markets through digital platforms and innovative distribution channels.

“We are Afro-optimists,” she declared. “With our reach, our technology, and our partnerships, we are giving Africa a stronger voice on the global map—one story, one screen at a time.”

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