Opportunity Africa, convened by Africa No Filter, Brand Africa and partners, including the African Union as a pan-African movement working to spotlight the people, ideas, businesses and initiatives moving the continent forward, has launched #NotWaiting today on Africa Day, May 25, 2026, a campaign to call on Africans across the continent and diaspora to spotlight the people, ideas, businesses and progress already shaping Africa’s future.
#NotWaiting is grounded in the belief that if Africans begin to see themselves differently, the world will too. Across Africa, entrepreneurs are building globally competitive companies, creators are shaping culture, communities are driving local innovation, and a new generation is redefining what African ambition looks like. Yet many of these stories remain overshadowed by narratives that focus almost exclusively on crisis, lack and limitation.
The campaign Manifesto
The campaign exists to shift that balance by creating a collective movement of Africans who choose to amplify what is working, who are building and where progress is happening. The campaign invites people to participate by posting stories, people and ideas they believe deserve greater visibility, using the hashtag #NotWaiting. Participants can visit www.notwaiting.africa to sign the campaign Manifesto, share their story, and join the movement.
The campaign will continue on the 25th of every month, creating a recurring moment when Africans collectively flood the internet with stories of progress, creativity, innovation, and opportunity from across the continent and the diaspora.
“#NotWaiting is about making our stories more visible to Africans first. Because if we begin to look at ourselves differently, the world will see us differently too,” said Moky Makura, Executive Director of Africa No Filter.
Speaking on the importance of #NotWaiting, Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder of Brand Africa and Chancellor of Sol Plaatje University, said: “Africa cannot build confidently while constantly reflecting itself through narratives of deficiency. #NotWaiting is a statement of confidence from a continent already in motion, and a reminder that Africa’s image should be shaped by its people, not inherited perceptions.”
Faith Adhiambo, Senior Communication Officer – Agenda 2063 African Union, said on behalf of the AU Director of Communication Leslie Richer: “Africa Day has always represented belief in Africa’s future and pride in Africa’s identity. #NotWaiting captures the energy of a generation that is no longer waiting to be seen, validated or defined by others. Africans are already building the future they want, and this campaign helps make that visible to us and to the world.”
