Why it's wrong
It collapses 55 countries into a single story, treating Africa as if it speaks with one voice, has one experience, and shares one fate. It also allows the challenges of one country to be projected onto the entire continent.
What's actually true
The continent has 55 sovereign states and thousands of cultures and political systems.
Don't say · Say instead
Don't say
“Africa needs more investment in infrastructure.”
Say instead
“Kenya needs more investment in infrastructure. OR Several African countries need more investment in infrastructure.”
Shorthand: Use the continent / name the specific country or region
When this might not apply
Continent-wide framing IS appropriate when describing genuinely pan-African institutions (the African Union, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African Development Bank), or genuinely continent-spanning data sets cited from a credible source.