Dangote eyes tourism + regulators gun for South Africa’s podcasting sector

We look at Africa’s richest man’s quiet entry into the tourism industry and how a regulatory debate is rocking South Africa’s podcasting ecosystem.

May 16, 2025

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In today’s Digest, we cover:

Africa’s richest man’s quiet entry into the tourism industry
The regulatory brouhaha in South Africa’s podcasting space

Center Spread 🗞️

A Dangote-powered boost for African tourism

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is turning his attention to the continent’s booming tourism industry with two back-to-back investments in East Africa.

The Kenyan Wall Street reported on May 12 that Dangote-backed Africa Travels Investment has acquired Pollman’s Tours and Safaris, Kenya’s oldest tour operator. The move builds on a February investment by Alterra Capital, a private equity fund supported by Dangote and U.S. billionaire David Rubenstein, into ARP Africa Travel Group, Pollman’s parent company.

ARP’s expansive operations span Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, and Victoria Falls, offering luxury safaris and cultural travel experiences through a fleet of 300+ vehicles and over 200 guides.

The move comes amid a strong post-pandemic rebound for African tourism. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, international arrivals to the continent are up 7% from 2019, and 12% higher than in 2023.

With the Pollman acquisition, Africa Travels gained a strategic foothold in one of Africa’s most established safari markets, which is well-positioned to capitalize on growing global interest in African travel.

More broadly, the deal signals rising investor recognition of tourism as a pan-African growth engine, not just a national asset. South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile recently emphasized the need for improved infrastructure, intra-African trade, and digital integration to unlock tourism’s full potential. Moves like Dangote’s suggest private capital may finally align with that vision.

South Africa’s podcasting regulatory debate

In South Africa, old regulatory conversations are heating up after podcaster Macgyver 'MacG' Mukwevho faced backlash in late April for comments made on his show about a local TV presenter.

Podcasting is thriving in South Africa. About 37% of adult South Africans listen to podcasts for at least an hour weekly. Notably, MacG’s Podcast and Chill was one of eight shows MultiChoice brought to TV in March 2025, a sign of the sector’s growing mainstream appeal.

However, the recent incident has re-ignited a regulatory debate. The bone of contention is the controversial Audio and Audiovisual Content Services (AAVCS) policy, introduced in 2020 as part of efforts to modernize outdated broadcasting laws.

The proposal wants podcasts, YouTube shows, and streaming platforms to be subject to the same rules as traditional broadcasters. This means podcasters could be required to get licenses, adhere to certain content standards, and respond to public complaints.

Critics say the policy risks stifling the creativity and independence that have made the format flourish. Once regulators step in, they argue, censorship could follow, especially for politically critical or non-mainstream voices.

But the government insists this isn’t about muzzling speech. In a recent local TV interview, Khusela Diko, chair of South Africa’s Parliamentary Committee on Communications, said the goal is recourse, not censorship. Freedom of expression, she stressed, is non-negotiable, but so is protection from hate speech, defamation, and exploitation.

A middle ground may exist. The proposal includes options for self-regulation in the form of a podcasting equivalent of the Press Council so that creators have a say in how the space evolves. But there’s been no progress since the publication of a draft white paper in 2023.

Crunch Time 📈

Catch Up 📬

We’ve published a few essays since the Digest last landed in your inbox.

Communiqué 70 revisits a question we first asked in 2021 about scaling podcast endeavours in Africa. The rise of podcast networks in Africa offers glimpses of the answer.
Communiqué 69 breaks down MBO Capital’s focus on Nollywood and the shift in its funding strategy.
Communiqué 68 traces Chude Jideonwo’s journey from journalist to PR mogul to building a full-service content company with Joy Inc.

A Message from Our Partners

The Builder’s Summit is back for another edition in Lagos. It is happening next Friday, May 23, 2024, at the Balmoral Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Tagged “Momentum – The Catalyst for Growth and Innovation,” the summit will gather entrepreneurs, creators, and tech professionals for a day of insights and opportunity.

Communiqué will curate the Creative Economy track, featuring Fuad Lawal (Archivi.ng), Wale Lawal (The Republic), and Nora Awolowo (Rixel Studios).

Expect fireside chats with leaders like Mitchell Elegbe (Interswitch), targeted sessions, high-impact networking, and a pitch competition with up to $9,500 in prizes.

Tickets are still on sale. Get yours now.

Curiosity Cabinet 🗄️

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