What IC Publications does

IC Publications is a privately-held, UK-registered pan-African media and communications group headquartered in London with a secondary editorial office in Paris. The company operates a multi-platform portfolio anchored by three flagship magazine publications, African Business, African Banker, and New African, which collectively span over six decades of continuous publishing and cover African business, finance, and current affairs for decision-makers, financial institutions, and policymakers. Content is distributed through print, owned websites (african.business, newafricanmagazine.com), mobile applications on iOS and Android, email newsletters, and self-serve subscriptions via the Exact Editions platform, with editorial production in five languages (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, and Chinese).

The company monetises across five distinct revenue streams: subscription-based print and digital magazine sales, advertising and sponsorship across publications and events, large-scale conferences and awards operated by IC Events in 40+ countries across four continents, strategic communications and creative services delivered through IC Agency, and higher-margin research, market analysis, and advisory services provided through AB Intelligence, a wholly-owned subsidiary. Customers are predominantly enterprise, institutional, and government clients, with named engagements including Africa50, African Export-Import Bank, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. The go-to-market is a hybrid of direct enterprise sales for advertising, events, and custom publishing, paired with self-serve digital subscription pathways for individual readers.

IC Publications is family-owned and operated, founded by Afif Ben Yedder with roots tracing to 1957 and corporate founding in 1974, currently led by Omar Ben Yedder as Group Publisher and Managing Director. The business carries no external investment or venture funding, and the team of approximately 18 named staff comprises 20+ nationalities fluent in 7+ languages, supporting the multinational editorial and event mandate. Strategic positioning is anchored in long-standing relationships with African policymakers and business leaders, reinforced by 2026 membership in the Opportunity Africa Creative Council alongside the African Union.

Name

IC Publications

Legal name

IC Publications Ltd.

Website

https://icpublications.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IC Publications is a London-based, family-owned pan-African media and communications group operating three flagship magazines (African Business, African Banker, New African), events across 40+ countries, a strategic communications agency, and an Africa-focused intelligence advisory subsidiary serving enterprise, institutional, and government clients globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pan-African Media Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI), Newsletter Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAA)

Keywords

• Pan-african media
• Business magazine publishing
• Trade publications africa
• Media communications group
• Events and conferences africa

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Publishing Subscriptions: Quarterly and subscription-based magazine sales for African Business, African Banker, and New African publications. Revenue from print and digital subscriptions, including special themed editions and country-focused reports.
2. Advertising & Sponsorship: Advertising sales across all publication platforms (print, digital, newsletters) and event sponsorships. Media kits available for African Business, African Banker, and New African.
3. Events & Conferences: Large-scale conferences, awards ceremonies, roundtables, and workshops managed end-to-end by the in-house events team. Events held across Africa, Europe, Middle East, USA, and Asia.
4. Agency Services: Strategic communications services including content creation, media relations, digital strategy, and creative services for brands, institutions, and governments.
5. Intelligence & Advisory: AB Intelligence provides research, market analysis, strategic advisory, business intelligence, and sustainability consulting services to businesses, policymakers, and investors.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IC Publications is a pan-African media and communications group that publishes three flagship magazines — African Business, African Banker, and New African — distributed in print and digital form. Beyond publishing, the company operates IC Events (conferences, awards, and roundtables), IC Agency (strategic communications, content creation, media relations, and creative services), and AB Intelligence (research, market analysis, strategic advisory, and sustainability consulting) for governments, financial institutions, and brands engaging with African markets.

Product overview

IC Publications is a pan-African media and communications group operating as a multi-platform portfolio consisting of three flagship magazine publications (African Business, African Banker, and New African), supported by an intelligence division (AB Intelligence), an events platform (IC Events), and a strategic communications agency (IC Agency). The company also offers digital products including a mobile application and newsletters, along with special edition publications. These offerings work together to inform audiences, facilitate networking, and provide strategic advisory services across Africa and globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• African Business: Top-selling Pan-African business publication trusted by decision-makers, covering finance, tech, energy, infrastructure, and agriculture.
• African Banker
• New African
• AB Intelligence
• IC Events
• IC Agency

Products and services

• African Business Magazine The top-selling Pan-African business publication trusted by decision-makers, industry leaders, and policymakers. Covers finance, tech, energy, infrastructure, and agriculture. Distributed in print and digital formats.
• African Banker Magazine The authoritative quarterly source on Africa's banking and finance industry, covering investment, capital markets, fintech, and economic trends for financial professionals.
• New African Magazine The leading English-language Pan-African current affairs publication for over 60 years, offering in-depth analysis on politics, culture, and social issues.
• AB Intelligence Intelligence division providing in-depth research, market analysis, and strategic insights including strategic advisory, business intelligence, and sustainability consulting to help businesses, policymakers, and investors navigate Africa's evolving landscape.
• IC Events Designs and delivers events including large-scale conferences, awards ceremonies, roundtables, and workshops that bring together policymakers, business executives, investors, and thought leaders across Africa and beyond.
• IC Agency Strategic communications agency helping organisations shape narratives, strengthen brands, and develop audience connections. Services include content creation, media relations, digital strategy, and creative design.
• African Business Mobile App Mobile application delivering curated African Business stories directly to devices, available on iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
• IC Publications Newsletters Curated newsletters delivering the latest analysis, market trends, and key developments on African politics, business, finance, and cultural trends.

Quantifiable outcome

• African Business magazine is the top-selling Pan-African business publication
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Opportunity Africa Creative CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026IC Publications is a member of the Opportunity Africa Creative Council, a pan-African platform bringing together leading communications, media, and marketing leaders to guide creative direction in advancing Africa's narrative under Agenda 2063. The initiative aims to reposition Africa globally from a deficit-focused narrative to one emphasizing potential, progress, and innovation. Africa No Filter serves as secretariat.
• Africa No FiltercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026Africa No Filter serves as secretariat for the Opportunity Africa Creative Council, a pan-African initiative that IC Publications participates in. The partnership focuses on shaping Africa's creative narrative globally.
• African UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026The African Union is a member of the Opportunity Africa Creative Council, working alongside IC Publications and other media leaders to advance the continent's narrative under Agenda 2063.
• TRACEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026TRACE is a member of the Opportunity Africa Creative Council alongside IC Publications, contributing to pan-African communications and media initiatives.
• Alpha Media HoldingsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026Alpha Media Holdings participates in the Opportunity Africa Creative Council as a media partner alongside IC Publications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Africa Report: The Africa Report is a leading pan-African news magazine covering politics, business, and policy from a Paris-based editorial base, now part of the Jeune Afrique Media Group. It is the closest direct competitor to IC Publications' New African and African Business titles, serving the same elite African decision-maker audience with similar print, digital, and events offerings.
• Jeune Afrique: Jeune Afrique is the flagship French-language pan-African weekly news magazine and media group publishing The Africa Report, Africa Intelligence, and Jeune Afrique Sport. It competes directly with IC Publications across francophone Africa, runs parallel business intelligence and events businesses, and overlaps heavily on B2B advertising, conferences, and advisory services.
• Forbes Africa: Forbes Africa is the pan-African edition of Forbes covering African business leaders, finance, and entrepreneurship through print, digital, awards, and events. It competes head-to-head with IC Publications' African Business and African Banker titles for the same premium African business readership and B2B advertising and sponsorship budgets.
• African Leadership Magazine: African Leadership Magazine is a UK-based pan-African publication covering business, policy, and leadership across the continent through print, digital, and the African Leadership Forum events franchise. It overlaps with IC Publications on policy coverage, institutional readership, and the pan-African events business serving government and corporate clients.
• Africa Intelligence: Africa Intelligence, part of the Jeune Afrique Media Group, is a subscription intelligence service providing investigative reporting and business intelligence on African politics, finance, and industry. It is a direct competitor to IC Publications' AB Intelligence division, serving the same institutional and corporate clients seeking African market intelligence and strategic advisory.
• Oxford Business Group: Oxford Business Group publishes country-specific investment and economic reports on African and emerging markets, paired with in-person events and a research subscription offering. It competes with IC Publications' AB Intelligence and country-focused special editions for the same corporate, investor, and government clients seeking authoritative African market analysis.
• How We Made It In Africa: How We Made It In Africa is a digital-first publication covering African business, entrepreneurs, and capital flows, with a strong subscriber and newsletter base. It targets the same African business decision-maker audience as African Business and competes for digital advertising spend and thought leadership distribution within the pan-African business media category.

Broad incumbents

• Bloomberg Africa: Bloomberg's Africa coverage is part of its global financial news and data terminal business, serving institutional investors, banks, and corporates with African capital markets and economic reporting. As a broad incumbent, it overlaps with African Banker on financial intelligence but does not specialize in the pan-African policy and culture space that IC Publications dominates.
• Reuters Africa: Reuters maintains a dedicated Africa news desk covering politics, business, and markets as part of its global newswire and financial information business. It overlaps with IC Publications on breaking news and corporate Africa coverage but operates at global newswire scale rather than as a pan-African specialty publisher with flagship magazines and proprietary events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ic-publications

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IC Publications