Pro-russian influencers in africa: the kremlin’s allies on the continent

Evgueni Prigojine, a Russian oligarch closely tied to Vladimir Poutine and founder of the Wagner Group, stands at the heart of Moscow’s influence campaigns in Africa. His operations rely on proxy organizations like the Afric (Free Research and International Cooperation Association), led from Maputo by Mozambican academic and psychologist José Matemulane. The association, chaired by Ioulia Afanasieva—a Prigojine associate—serves as a key conduit for spreading pro-Kremlin narratives across the continent.

The Afric network collaborates with panafricanist media outlets such as Radio Révolution panafricaine and Afrique Média TV, both platforms amplifying anti-French and pro-Russian propaganda. Based in Cameroon, Afrique Média is owned by the Groupe Afrique Média, led by Justin B. Tagouh, who has twice visited Sotchi and claims to have met Poutine. Cameroonian politician Banda Kani, president of the Nouveau Mouvement Populaire, frequently appears on the channel, promoting aggressive pro-Kremlin stances on the Ukraine conflict, labeling the Kyiv regime as a “criminal oligarchy” and its leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, a “rogue.”

Kemi Seba: From anti-colonial activism to Kremlin ties

Franco-Béninese activist Kemi Seba, founder of the Urgence Panafricaniste NGO, has forged close ties with Russian nationalist ideologue Aleksandr Douguine, a vocal advocate of a multipolar world and fierce critic of Western liberalism. Douguine, a key figure in Putin’s inner circle, hosted Seba in Moscow as early as 2017 and met with him again in March 2022. During this trip, Seba also met with Mikhaïl Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Africa and the Middle East, and delivered a lecture at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).

In October 2020, Seba appeared on Vox Africa to claim he had been invited by Evgueni Prigojine to visit Russia, Sudan, and Libya. However, he distanced himself from the oligarch after Prigojine allegedly urged him to carry out violent acts against Western symbols—even if it meant collateral damage in African countries. Despite this, Seba continues to amplify Kremlin-aligned narratives on social media.

Nathalie Yamb: The “Sotchi Lady” and her pro-Kremlin crusade

Swiss-Cameroonian activist Nathalie Yamb, known as the “Dame de Sotchi” after her prominent presence at the 2019 Russia-Africa Summit, is one of Africa’s most influential critics of France. Her expulsion from Côte d’Ivoire in December 2019 only amplified her notoriety. According to reports by the Free Russia Foundation, Yamb participated in a 2020 Berlin conference organized by Afric and the Foundation for the Protection of National Values—a Prigojine-linked group led by Russian journalist Alexander Malkevitch. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Yamb has openly supported Moscow’s military actions.

Yamb is also affiliated with Côte d’Ivoire’s Lider party, whose Twitter account frequently disseminates pro-Russian content. Although the party’s founder, Mamadou Koulibaly, has stepped back from politics and reduced his social media activity, he visited Bamako in mid-March to express solidarity with Mali’s pro-Russian junta. In an interview with Vox Africa, Koulibaly framed his visit as a response to a call from panafricanist youth movements, declaring his intent to “defy sanctions and support populations fighting for sovereignty.”

Mali: A hub for Russian soft power

In Mali, Adama Diarra—popularly known as “Ben le Cerveau”—has emerged as a leading pro-Russian voice. As spokesperson for the Yerewolo – Debout sur les remparts movement, he played a pivotal role in confirming rumors of a Wagner Group deal with Mali’s transitional government in late 2021. Diarra, a CNT member, has since organized nearly all pro-Russian demonstrations in Bamako and announced the presence of fifty Russian military experts in the country for over a month, tasked with providing strategic assessments.

Radio Kremlin in Bangui

The Central African Republic (CAR) is another critical node in Russia’s African strategy, with Fred Krock, director of the widely listened-to Lengo Songo radio, serving as a key propagandist. Lengo Songo is reportedly funded by Lobaye Invest, a mining firm linked to Wagner and initially run by Evgueni Khodotov, a Prigojine loyalist. The station’s content is frequently amplified by Ria Fan, a Russian media outlet tied to Prigojine’s ecosystem. On-air personalities include former Russian ambassador Vladimir Titorenko, presidential advisor Valeri Zakharov, sociologist Maksim Shugaley, and Aleksandr Ivanov, head of the Community of Officers for International Security (COSI).

The radio’s influence extends to local civil society figures like Blaise Didacien Kossimatchi (a member of the Galaxie Nationale platform, staunchly pro-Faustin-Archange Touadéra) and Harouna Douamba, president of Aimons Notre Afrique—an association funded by Lobaye Invest. Both have been instrumental in organizing pro-Russian rallies in Bangui.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, social media amplifies pro-Russian voices—most notably the Twitter account (with over 200,000 followers) attributed to Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma. Her posts, which frequently denounce NATO and Western “imperialism,” helped popularize the #istandwithrussia hashtag, shared hundreds of thousands of times.