Digital Transformation Must Be Inclusive – UBA’s Henry Nii Dottey Tells African PR Practitioners at APRA@50
The 50th Anniversary Conference of the African Public Relations Association (APRA) concluded in Mombasa last week with a clarion call for communicators across the continent to embrace inclusive digital transformation as a key tenet for Africa’s development.
Among the high-profile speakers was Ghana’s Henry Nii Dottey, Head of Brand, Marketing, and Corporate Communications at United Bank for Africa (UBA) – Anglophone West Africa, who joined a panel discussion on “The Digital Future and the Reality of Global Digitalisation.”
Other panelists included Jan Eissfeldt, Director and Global Head of Trust & Safety at the Wikimedia Foundation; Ryan Beiermeister, Vice President of Product Policy at OpenAI; and Dr Ike Neliaku, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. The session was moderated by Moses Kemibaro, Founder and CEO of Kenyan digital agency Dotsavvy.
In his remarks, Mr Dottey noted that Africa’s communication dynamics are undergoing a seismic shift, urging PR professionals to tailor their strategies to a younger, mobile-first audience increasingly driven by relevance, authenticity, and participation.
“Across Africa, the shift is undeniable. Our audiences are younger, mobile-first, and digitally fluent. Today’s communication is not about broadcasting; it’s about building relationships on the platforms where people already live and engage,” Mr Dottey stated.
Four Key Trends in Africa’s Digital PR Future
He outlined four dominant trends that he said are reshaping digital public relations in Africa:
Hyper-localisation of content, reflecting regional and cultural diversity;
Influencer-led campaigns, tapping into community voices for authenticity;
Data-driven communication, where analytics guide storytelling and crisis management;
Interactive formats, including Instagram Lives and WhatsApp chatbots, that demand audience participation rather than passive consumption.
UBA’s Inclusive Digital Strategy
Mr Dottey also used the platform to highlight UBA’s strategic efforts to bridge the digital divide across its 20 African markets. He emphasised the bank’s commitment to inclusivity as a non-negotiable in the continent’s digital transformation agenda.
“We strongly believe that if digital transformation isn’t inclusive, it fails its core purpose,” he remarked.
UBA’s initiatives include:
AI-powered chatbot Leo, available on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram;
Expansion of agent banking networks and USSD platforms to reach non-internet users;
Community-based financial literacy campaigns using radio and in-person engagements;
Ethical communication policies with strong emphasis on data transparency and user consent.
Reputation and Trust in the Digital Era
Speaking on the fragility of brand reputation in a fast-changing digital landscape, Mr Dottey underscored the need for brands to act with empathy and purpose.
“In the digital-first era, people don’t just care what you sell; they care what you stand for,” he noted.
“Brands must humanise their stories, respond with empathy, and lead with purpose.”
He proposed three pillars for digital trust: authenticity in storytelling, timeliness and openness in communication, and alignment with purpose-driven values.
APRA@50 – Celebrating African PR Excellence
Held under the theme “One Africa, One Voice: 50 Years of Advancing African PR Excellence”, the APRA@50 Conference convened over 700 delegates from across Africa and beyond.
Key topics discussed included artificial intelligence in communications, ethics and governance in corporate messaging, youth inclusion in PR, and the evolving role of the media in the digital age.
The landmark event not only celebrated five decades of APRA’s advocacy for public relations development on the continent, but also cast a spotlight on the future of the profession amid growing digital integration and global interconnectedness.
