Campaign to correct world map that shrinks Africa: 'It's the longest lie in geography'

702's Bongani Bingwa chats to Lerato Mogoathle, head of Communications and Digital Marketing at Africa No Filter.

Listen below:

"It's not inconsequential, it’s the longest lie in geography... it needs to be corrected." 

- Lerato Mogoathle, Communications and Digital Marketing head - Africa No Filter

A map is a map is a map, right? Wrong, says Africa No Filter.

The advocacy organisation, which aims to shift stereotypical narratives about the continent, believes Africa is misrepresented on world maps. 

Recently, the African Union officially endorsed a campaign urging governments, schools, and institutions to replace outdated world maps that distort Africa’s true size. 

At the heart of the movement is a call to abandon the commonly used Mercator map (a centuries-old projection developed for maritime navigation), which drastically minimises Africa’s scale compared to regions like Europe and Greenland.

"It's not politicising it. This map was from the 16th century; it was for a specific reason. It was to help, it was for maritime navigation, right? Is that how we move around the world today? No. Is that what our world looks like today? Is that how we navigate the world? No, it isn't."

- Lerato Mogoathle, Communications and Digital Marketing head - Africa No Filter

"This misrepresentation of Africa is not technical. It affects our narrative. It says Africa is smaller."

- Lerato Mogoathle, Communications and Digital Marketing head - Africa No Filter

Mogoathle argues that this distortion is more than a cartographic thing; it’s a legacy of colonial narratives that continue to shape global perceptions. 

She explains how Africa’s misrepresentation on maps subtly reinforces ideas of insignificance and dependency.

"For the longest time, the story of Africa has been the story of the other. When do we get to tell our own stories using our own facts and using our own realities? So even though this may seem like just a map, in reality, it isn't just a map. Think about this narrative of conflict, of dependency, of making agency, of Africa being dependent on Western saviours. Where does it come from?”

- Lerato Mogoathle, Communications and Digital Marketing head - Africa No Filter

“Narratives develop over time, and narratives are boosted by everything else that is produced to bolster that narrative. A map that was created for 16th century navigation cannot still hold this much influence in 2025." 

- Lerato Mogoathle, Communications and Digital Marketing head - Africa No Filter

Campaigners are advocating for the use of the 2018 Equal Earth map projection, which more accurately reflects the continent’s true proportions. 

With growing support from institutions such as the World Bank, the campaign is gaining momentum and hopes to shift not only maps, but mindsets.

Click here to find out more about the Correct The Map Campaign.

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation.