A comprehensive new report by Africa No Filter and a team of international researchers has found that negative stereotypes about Africa remain deeply rooted among the general public in the United States and the United Kingdom, shaping not only perceptions but also willingness to engage with African products and cultures. The findings, detailed in the report “Stereotypes about Africa in UK and USA: Their Impact on Engagement with Africa,” highlight the urgent need for more balanced and positive storytelling about the continent.
The report, which surveyed 1,126 representative participants from the US and UK, reveals that when people in these countries think about Africa, their minds are most often drawn to images of nature and wildlife—echoing outdated colonial tropes that overshadow Africa’s societal progress and cultural richness. More troubling, the study found that thoughts about Africa are generally more negative compared to thoughts about Europe, with three key themes dominating the negative stereotypes where respondents associated Africa with droughts, barren landscapes, and other harsh natural conditions, perceptions of political instability, disease, poverty, and corruption were prevalent; and Africa was often seen as lacking rich culture and advanced civilization, especially when contrasted with Europe’s association with cultural heritage and modernity.
These stereotypes, the report notes, are not just abstract ideas—they have real-world consequences. Participants who held more negative views of Africa were less likely to express interest in African products or cultural offerings, indicating that these perceptions can directly impact trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.
The implications of these findings are significant. As the report states, “If negative portrayals create more long-term harm than short-term gains, the economic net outcome might also be more negative than positive.” The research suggests that the persistent focus on poverty, conflict, and hardship in media and aid narratives—though often well-intentioned—may actually undermine Africa’s global image and economic prospects by discouraging deeper engagement and perpetuating a sense of “otherness”.
This dynamic is particularly concerning given the influence of public opinion on broader societal and policy decisions. If average consumers in the Global North see Africa primarily as a place of scarcity and struggle, demand for African goods remains limited, reinforcing a cycle of exclusion and dependency. “Negative perceptions undermine the prospects for equal partnerships and cultural exchange, relegating African countries to the role of perpetual aid recipients rather than equal players on the global stage,” the report warns.
Importantly, the research also points to a solution: positive storytelling. In a follow-up study with 960 US participants, the report found that providing new, positive information about Africa—rather than simply negating negative stereotypes—was effective in shifting perceptions and fostering greater interest in Africa’s products and cultures. This suggests that changing the narrative is not only possible but necessary to promote more meaningful engagement with the continent.
Africa No Filter, the advocacy organization behind the report, emphasizes the need to support storytelling that reflects Africa’s dynamism, innovation, and opportunity. “We exist because many stories about Africa still lazily revolve around the single story of poor leadership, poverty, corruption, disease, and conflict, failing to portray the other more progressive side of Africa and collectively perpetuating the narrative that Africa is broken, dependent and lacks agency,” the organization states in its mission.
The report’s authors, a multidisciplinary team of psychologists and researchers from the UK, US, Germany, and Israel, argue that shifting public perceptions requires more than institutional change—it demands individual engagement and a commitment to sharing diverse, authentic African stories. By bringing creatives and creativity into development, corporate, and policy sectors, and by transforming complex issues into compelling stories, organizations like Africa No Filter hope to foster a deeper understanding and more positive perception of Africa over time.
