The recent push for the African Union (AU) to retire from Mercator’s forecasts in classrooms and public institutions is more than a housekeeping of mapping, it is a moral claim of truth and dignity.
Mercator’s maps extended the northern part of the world and the reduced equator lands.
For five centuries, Mercator’s maps have extended global north and reduced equator lands, visually minimizing the vastness of Africa. In 2025, the AU approved alternatives like the Equal Earth Projection, arguing that maps should reflect the world exactly as they once liked colonizing empires.
Maps are symbols that shape imagination and imagination. Improvement of maps compared to other countries, particularly colonized countries, is a matter of justice for those who distorted the maps imposed on them. A more equitable map will help reform the general narrative of the African continent and bring about a positive change in African self-awareness among other countries around the world.
For example, on a typical Mercator classroom map, Greenland appears to be comparable to Africa. On the other hand, in reality, Africa is about 14 times bigger! I am a father of three daughters and I often wonder how my children view world dynamics and geopolitics, or how to shape the general Mercator projection conditions and shapes.
Mercator Map’s visual lies are quietly conditioned generations.
Mercator Map’s visual lies (expanding Europe/North America and reducing Africa and other equatorial countries) have a generation that is quietly conditioned to underestimate the size and importance of Africa. The prediction of the equal realm corrects this, giving all children a true spiritual picture of the world they live in.
If they only have a Mercator projection as a reference, then looking at Africa among other countries, it affects their perception of Africa. Our children either become disillusioned with this historical misrepresentation on the classroom map, or believe that African representations on this map are unquestionable facts.
By changing the map, you can actively change the self-perceptions of future African generations. I believe we should be rightly and proud of the size and wealth of the continent, and we should use it responsibly to improve the world.
Africa is being told as the new centre of global Christianity and is predicted to affect the next century of Christianity. With many Africans currently migrating to the global north, will this growing influence on the gospel and the Kingdom of God affect its true geographical size? Only time can tell whether a fresh perspective on the relative size of the African continent increases confidence and responsibility to contribute to other parts of the world, and whether or not they take the gospel to others in particular.
We are truly free and ultimately just together.
For Christians, the truth begins with the goodness of creation and image day. The image of God within Africa deserves to be correctly expressed in every way. Misreaching Africa is also misrepresenting our neighbors, whom God called us love. The AU’s call to force a new map resonates with the biblical ethics of truth and justice. It can help Africans across the continent develop a common sense of unity. Once this is established, we can participate in the world better. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu taught through the lens of Ubuntu, “We are truly free and ultimately just together. We can only become human together.”
Christians need to be reminded that they do not need to borrow an African identity. It has a rich Christian heritage. North Africa gave it to the Tertullian Church in Carthage, who helped to build the language of Latin theology. And Augustine was the Bishop of Berber of the Hippo, whose confessions and writings of the city of God still form the churches of the world.
Africa is not a spiritual periphery, but a very cradle and transporter of the Christian faith.
Long before the modern mission, officials from the Treasury Ministry of Ethiopia encountered the Gospel on the Gaza road and took it home. An early sign that Africa is not a spiritual periphery, but a very cradle carrier of the Christian faith.
It is important to officially update the map. The decline in mapping has long overlapped with extracted economics and geopolitical paternity. Restoration Africa’s true percentage restoration resets assumptions about partnerships, voice and value.
However, the truth of cartography must coincide with the truth within the house (within the African continent). Shalom’s Christian vision argues that true freedom comes not only from resistance to external rule, but also from repentance for internal sins that manifest itself as greed, immunity, and violence arising from these roots.
Transparency International’s latest index still places sub-Saharan Africa on the lower region average (33/100), a warning that corruption weakens public trust, bleeding resources, and twists development priorities.
Economic literature is equally clear. When governance is weak, natural wealth induces conflict and distortion. This is what theologians might call the “falling” of the system. The World Bank has linked vulnerability and resource dependence to slower growth and lower outcomes. Clearly, institutional strength determines whether resources are healed or harmed. Changing the percentage of the map can do that much. We Africans need to change the proportion of our minds.
A true world map and a true public ethics belong together.
African Christian thinking provides a language for transformation. John Mbithi’s co-axialogue, “I am because we are, and because we are,” captures both the theological depth of the African people’s hood and the citizens’ responsibility that it implies. A true world map and a true public ethics belong together. If we see right, believe rightly, and live rightly together, we will replace rightly in the world to bless all nations.
Jim Oran is the Director of Communications and Programs for the African Evangelical Association. He is a veteran communication and development expert from Kenya and holds a bachelor’s degree (honor) in communications (honor) and a master’s degree (MA) in theology at the Africa International University. He has extensive experience in strategic religious engagement. He is also an important member of the Refugee Highway Partnership’s Global Leadership Team. Additionally, Jim is Africa Coordinator for Edifi, a Christian podcasting network. The gym is drawn from a diverse background in working with international organizations, bringing a unique blend of skills and a deep commitment to both the proclamation and demonstrations of the gospel.
