African Media Perspectives on the Russia–Ukraine Conflict: A Cross-National Comparative Study

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has attracted significant attention globally, with concerns being raised about the potential consequences of a full-scale war. However, there are concerns about how this conflict could also impact Africa’s economies and democracies, particularly those that rely heavily on trade with these two countries. The crisis has prompted some African political parties to clash over their government’s stance on the Russia–Ukraine conflict, with some calling for sanctions against Russia while others argue that such sanctions could harm their economies. As a result, this study presents a comparative analysis of media reporting on the Russia–Ukraine war in six African newspapers. The study employed a content analysis methodology, using a coding scheme that focused on the framing of the conflict in the media’s reporting. The study investigated the similarities and differences in the media’s reporting of the war among these newspapers and identified notable patterns and trends in the media’s reporting on the war. A sample size of 724 posts over a year was selected for analysis. The findings suggest that the media’s reporting on the Russia–Ukraine war in African newspapers is diverse in its framing of the conflict, with some newspapers focusing on political dynamics while others highlight humanitarian aspects of the conflict. Also, the results show that there has been limited coverage of the Russia–Ukraine conflict in African media. The conflict has not been a major priority for African news outlets, as they tend to focus on domestic issues and news related to other parts of the world. In addition, African media tend to rely heavily on international news sources such as Reuters, BBC, CNN and AP for their coverage of international events. These agencies have not prioritised coverage of the Russia–Ukraine conflict in recent years, which may also explain the limited coverage in African media.