climateXchange Making Climate Pay 5th Edition: Africa

In recent years, African newsrooms have faced escalating financial challenges.

Exacerbated by global economic fluctuations and the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional revenue streams like advertising and print sales have declined sharply—pushing media organisations toward digital transformation. But this shift is far from easy, and with financial sustainability paramount in many newsroom decisions, climate is often pushed aside in favour of more profitable editorial models.

The cXc approach aims not only to achieve financial sustainability, proving that climatere porting can be lucrative, but also to empower newsrooms to create impactful climate journalism.

Following a working session in Nairobi, Kenya in February 2025 and the identification of a series of newsroom challenges, this report outlines a series of local revenue-generating news products designed to inform and inspire on climate action—whilst paying their way.