Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa have launched the Correct the Map campaign, an initiative inviting institutions, educators, and media platforms to pledge their commitment to using maps that depict Africa’s true size.
For centuries, the world has been misled about Africa’s true size. The Mercator map – one of the most widely used world maps – has shrunk the continent, distorting its scale and minimising its global significance.
Now, Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa are launching the Correct the Map campaign to put an end to this enduring falsehood.
Africa covers 30.37 million square kilometers – large enough to fit the United States, China, India, and most of Europe combined. Yet, in classrooms, newsrooms, publications, and boardrooms worldwide, the Mercator projection presents Africa as much smaller than it really is.
Designed for 16th-century maritime navigation, the map artificially enlarges Global North regions while drastically reducing the perceived size of continents like Africa. The result? A distorted world view that downplays Africa’s economic, cultural, and political importance.
The Correct the Map campaign is calling on international organizations – including the UN, World Bank, and BBC – to switch to the Equal Earth map projection, a fairer and more accurate representation of global geography.
Through a global petition and campaign charter, the initiative invites institutions, educators, and media platforms to pledge their commitment to using maps that depict Africa’s true size.
“Geography has history. Africa’s misrepresentation on world maps is not just a cartographic error—it’s a narrative issue,” Africa No Filter executive director Moky Makura said. “By reducing the size of Africa, we are subconsciously downplaying its importance. It’s time we took a stand.”
Speak Up Africa founder and executive director Yacine Djibo added: “Decisions about Africa—economic, political, and developmental—are being made using a false reference point. We need the world to see Africa as it truly is.”
The world cannot afford to keep making decisions based on a 400-year-old distortion. It’s time to fix the map and reframe the narrative.
Sign the petition to Correct the Map here and follow the campaign online.
About Africa No Filter
Africa No Filter is an advocacy organization shifting stereotypical narratives about Africa through storytelling that reflects a dynamic continent of progress, innovation and opportunity. To learn more about Africa No Filter, visit www.africanofilter.org and follow @Africanofilter on social media.
About Speak Up Africa
Speak Up Africa is a policy and advocacy Action Tank. Through their platforms and relationships and with the help of their partners, they ensure that policy makers meet implementers, that solutions are showcased and that every sector – from individual citizens and civil society groups to global donors and business leaders – contributes critically to the dialogue and strives to form the blueprints for concrete action for public health and sustainable development. For any inquiries contact Fara Ndiaye at fara.ndiaye@speakupafrica.org.
