Our Commitment to Africa: From WIIFA to IFA

By Uzoamaka Madu, Managing Director, IFA

For 10 years in Brussels, I sat in meetings where EU officials and African delegations negotiated development agreements, signed trade deals, and adopted partnership frameworks. And I kept leaving with the same question: 

What’s in it for Africa? 

Too often, African interests were not being communicated with enough clarity, strategy, or urgency. Over time, I realized this was not just a messaging issue. The way partnerships with African states are framed shapes real outcomes — from foreign direct investment to trade preferences to competitiveness. 

I knew something had to change. That was the beginning of What’s in It for Africa — WIIFA. 

WIIFA started with a singular vision: to create an African narrative around what was happening in and around the EU — not only to feed into debates in Brussels, but also to help African audiences understand the policy landscape unfolding there and the economic and political implications it could have for them. 

One of our earliest building blocks was an online programme and blog that became a useful information resource for Africans trying to better understand the opportunities and challenges posed by EU policies. The response was encouraging. The funding was not. Although the project received positive feedback, it did not receive commensurate funding, which limited what it was able to achieve. 

But the idea kept growing. 

Over time, WIIFA evolved into a strategic communications agency focused on building impactful public interest campaigns so that Africans are not only seen and heard but truly listened to in global conversations. And as our work grew, so did our understanding of what we were really being called to do. 

We were no longer only interrogating how Africa was being positioned. We were actively helping shape that positioning through strategy, storytelling, advocacy, community-building, and program support across sectors that matter deeply to the continent’s future. 

That is why today, WIIFA is evolving into IFA. 

IFA means In for Africa. It is a clear statement that we are no longer standing on the sidelines asking questions about Africa’s future but are committed to helping build it. It is also inspired by Ifa, the oracle. A Yoruba symbol of wisdom, guidance, and insight. 

This is about much more than a new name. It is about clarity. IFA is refocusing its work around Africa’s agriculture, education, and health sectors — areas where strong narratives, trusted partnerships, strategic visibility, and decision-maker-ready communications can influence whether African-led solutions are recognized, financed, and scaled. 

Our tagline says it best: Powering the Voices that Move Africa. 

The rebrand clarified something important for us: our original question still matters, but our position has changed. We are no longer just asking What’s in it for Africa? 

We are recommitting to the continent. We are in for Africa. 

We call ourselves The Oracles, which speaks to the blend of insight, creativity, research, and strategic understanding behind every campaign, platform, and story we build. 

This next chapter is a commitment to helping ensure that African-led solutions in agriculture, education, and health are not only seen, but understood, trusted, financed, and scaled. 

To everyone who believed in this vision at different stages, from collaborators, clients, partners, interviewees, team members, and supporters. Thank you all. 

And to our existing and future clients and partners: IFA is here for those who want more than visibility. For those who want clarity, credibility, influence, and impact. We are here to help power the voices that move Africa.