Johannesburg, South Africa – African governments should use the upcoming Russia Africa Summit to negotiate commercially beneficial agreements that advance energy security, infrastructure development and economic growth, journalist and political analyst Adekunle Owolabi has said.
Owolabi made the remarks during an interview with Mmatsheko Mosito on Channel Africa on Monday, 19 October 2026, ahead of the summit scheduled for Moscow on 28 and 29 October.
The Editor of The African Daily said the meeting offered African countries an opportunity to strengthen trade relations with Russia while ensuring that new partnerships delivered practical benefits to their economies and citizens.
The summit is expected to address trade, investment, energy, agriculture, food security and technology, alongside discussions on a cooperation plan for 2027 to 2029.
Owolabi said African countries should avoid depending too heavily on a limited number of international partners and instead build diversified relationships based on their economic priorities.
“Africa actually should diversify their interests and so you cannot just align with the likes of the United States or China. You are allowed to engage with the likes of your Russia or Saudi or anyone. So there’s no law that says a country shouldn’t engage with each other,” he said.
He acknowledged the difficulties arising from sanctions imposed on Russia and the country’s ongoing war in Ukraine, but argued that African governments should independently assess the opportunities and risks associated with commercial engagement.
For Eswatini and other African economies, he said, the important consideration was whether international partnerships could generate investment, strengthen infrastructure and improve access to essential goods and services.
Regional cooperation could improve bargaining power
Owolabi called on African governments to negotiate through the African Union and regional economic communities to improve their bargaining power when dealing with major international partners.
He said collective negotiations could help countries obtain better prices, financing arrangements and repayment terms, particularly for costly infrastructure and energy projects.
Nigeria, he explained, had considerable financial resources and economic capacity that could be used to support joint initiatives with smaller West African countries through ECOWAS.
He also identified regional banks as potential partners in financing development projects, saying African governments should explore available funding mechanisms rather than approach negotiations without a coordinated strategy.
Owolabi named Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and South Africa among Russia’s important African trading partners, while identifying additional opportunities for cooperation with Nigeria and other countries.
He said agricultural supplies, including wheat and fertilisers, remained important areas of trade and that Russia’s technical capabilities could potentially assist countries seeking to improve electricity generation and industrial performance.
“If the cost is too much in another country, if you get a better deal with Russia, why not? In the end, we are doing business and looking at areas of collaboration,” he said.
He maintained that foreign partnerships should be evaluated according to the agreements reached, their financial implications and the economic benefits they provide to participating countries.
Energy and infrastructure on the agenda
Energy is expected to be a major area of discussion at the summit, with Owolabi arguing that reliable and affordable power is essential to Africa’s industrialisation plans.
He pointed to Russia’s involvement in Egypt’s El Dabaa nuclear power plant project as an example of cooperation in energy infrastructure.
He also referred to energy cooperation between Mozambique and South Africa, saying African countries needed to examine a range of supply options and financing arrangements to meet growing demand.
“Energy is something that it’s an integral part of our life. We buy fuel, we switch on our light, we eat, we need heat during winter and we just need energy to power industrialisation,” he said.
Owolabi argued that African economies would struggle to expand manufacturing and process their own resources without adequate electricity supplies.
He said Namibia’s expected participation in the Moscow meeting was significant because the country was seeking to strengthen trade and energy relations with Russia.
The journalist also proposed that African countries explore collective purchasing arrangements to reduce the cost of imported energy and essential commodities.
However, he noted that international sanctions against Russia had complicated financial transactions, with restrictions affecting some payment systems and financial technology services.
According to Owolabi, Russia Africa trade was estimated at between US$25 billion and US$30 billion, and Moscow was looking to expand its commercial relationships across the continent.
He said countries within SADC, the East African Community and ECOWAS could benefit from closer economic engagement, including through regional projects and financing arrangements.
Owolabi added that discussions on oil and gas would be important as African governments considered the future of global energy markets, the growing use of electric vehicles and the long term outlook for oil prices.
He said African countries should assess the summit’s results by examining the agreements signed and determining whether they delivered meaningful economic returns.
Owolabi raises concerns over Eswatini’s international image
In a separate discussion on Journal Africa, Owolabi addressed the influence of international media coverage on how African countries are perceived by investors, policymakers and the wider public.
He said Eswatini was among the countries whose international image could benefit from broader reporting that reflected both its challenges and its economic, cultural and institutional developments.
Drawing on his experiences in the Kingdom, the Nigerian journalist said he believed some international coverage had given insufficient attention to developments taking place locally.
He referred to reporting around King Mswati III’s birthday celebrations, arguing that certain accounts did not adequately reflect the events and milestones he had witnessed while in the country.
Owolabi also cited the opening of the International Convention Centre and the hosting of African Union related engagements as examples of developments that deserved wider international coverage.
He said local news organisations, including the Times of Eswatini, the Eswatini Observer and Independent News Eswatini, were important to the development of digital journalism and the communication of local stories to regional and international audiences.
His comments came during a wider discussion on the need for African journalists to take a more active role in determining how their countries are represented.
Owolabi said international news organisations remained influential in shaping perceptions of African markets, sometimes creating impressions that could discourage investment before potential investors had visited the countries concerned.
He recalled speaking to a banker who expressed reservations about investing in an African country despite never having travelled there.
The experience, he said, demonstrated the economic consequences of relying on perceptions instead of obtaining first hand information.
“You don’t have an opinion but you’re entitled to an informed opinion,” Owolabi said.
He argued that more balanced reporting could help investors identify opportunities while giving African governments and businesses a clearer understanding of the areas requiring improvement.
Local journalism needs investment
Owolabi said sustainable funding remained one of the major challenges facing African media organisations.
He called on governments and private sector organisations to support training, professional development and better remuneration for journalists, noting that many media workers continued to face financial pressures.
He said the decline of traditional print media had contributed to job losses while the growth of online publishing had made it easier for fabricated stories and unreliable websites to circulate.
Although he recognised the contribution of citizen journalism, he said professional journalists needed to maintain appropriate standards while adapting to the changing digital environment.
He also identified artificial intelligence as an important issue for media organisations, arguing that journalists needed the skills to use emerging technologies as tools to improve their work.
Owolabi said his own work included training young and emerging journalists and encouraging them to develop expertise in areas they were passionate about, while remaining open to new assignments and opportunities.
He said stronger journalism required a combination of professional skills, adequate resources, fair remuneration and institutional support.
The African Daily seeks wider continental coverage
Discussing his work as Editor of The African Daily, Owolabi said the publication developed from The African Daily Post and was built around a commitment to covering developments across the continent.
The platform reports on North, West, East, Central and Southern Africa, with coverage spanning business, politics, diplomacy, investment and other areas affecting the continent’s development.
Owolabi said the publication sought to provide readers with a broader understanding of African countries by reporting on progress, opportunities and initiatives that might otherwise receive limited attention.
“Africa is a work in progress. But if we focus too much on the negativity, the issues that we have, we’re not going to be able to look at how we can move forward,” he said.
He said the approach was not about ignoring problems but ensuring that reporting also examined solutions and developments that could contribute to economic progress.
Owolabi praised Channel Africa for its role in communicating African stories to audiences beyond national borders.
Eswatini’s cultural heritage and tourism
Owolabi also discussed Eswatini’s cultural identity and tourism potential, describing the Kingdom’s traditions, landscape and hospitality as important parts of its appeal.
He referred to traditional ceremonies such as Buganu and Incwala, as well as the country’s food, clothing, hills and mountains, as features that distinguish Eswatini within the region.
He also mentioned Hlane Royal National Park, game drives, the Bushfire festival and the Luju festival as attractions for visitors.
The journalist said cooperation between Eswatini and South Africa extended beyond commercial relations to include cultural activities and professional exchanges.
He cited the October International Theatre Festival, which involved theatre practitioners from South Africa participating in activities and training with artists, as an example of such collaboration.
Owolabi encouraged regional visitors to experience Eswatini directly, saying tourism and cultural exchanges could strengthen relationships between neighbouring countries and provide a fuller understanding of the Kingdom.
He said stronger local reporting and international engagement could help communicate Eswatini’s experiences, opportunities and cultural heritage to audiences across Africa and beyond.
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