Africa needs more relatable stories that reflect the realities of life on the continent rather than portrayals that romanticise or oversimplify the African experience, Managing Director for Africa at Allison Worldwide, Claudine Moore, has said.
Moore made the remarks at the fourth edition of the Africa Breakfast Conversations (ABC), held on Friday at the World Trade Center in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The 2026 edition, organised by BHM and Allison Worldwide, brought together business leaders, investors, policymakers, media executives and other stakeholders under the theme, “Africa’s Next Chapter: Trade, Partnership, Investment & Global Influence.”
Reflecting on her relationship with the continent, Moore said a visit to Ghana in 2010 changed the direction of her career and led her to focus on Africa and African organisations. She recalled her experiences in Lagos, where she encountered both significant wealth and poverty, including seeing young children begging in traffic. For her, those contrasting experiences reinforced the need for African stories that acknowledge the complexity of life on the continent rather than present an idealised version of it.
“We just have to have more relatable stories that are not always sort of like these, you know, Wakanda, like mythical,” Moore said, acknowledging the appeal of such portrayals but questioning whether they adequately reflect the realities of African life.
She also referenced Children of Blood and Bone, noting her appreciation for the presence of Black British actors in the cast. Her comments pointed to a broader conversation about who tells African stories, how those stories are presented to global audiences and the need for representation that feels grounded in lived experiences.
The conversation formed part of a wider programme at ABC 2026, which examined Africa’s economic growth, trade, investment, partnerships and its evolving influence in global markets. Other speakers at the event included BHM Holdings CEO Ayeni Adekunle, Hackim Abdul of Citi’s Public Sector Group for Africa, Yasamin Alttahir of The King’s Trust International, Kayode Akintemi of News Central TV, Akunna Cook of Next Narrative Africa and Otunba (Dr.) Bimbola Ashiru of Blackcod Group and Odu’a Investment Company.
The fourth edition of the Africa Breakfast Conversations was convened by BHM and Allison Worldwide as an ongoing platform for conversations among African and global business leaders, investors, policymakers and other stakeholders on issues shaping the continent’s future.
