Someone should warn them that people in Sub-Saharan Africa don’t like to be called by that name – especially when ‘big men’ visit their countries.

But that’s how The Huffington Post is announcing its first foray into the region. It has now partnered with South Africa media company Media24 (print media arm of South African media monster, Naspers) to launch HuffPost South Africa.

It’s remarkable. Some US media have written off the HuffPost. For good reason. In the past year, the most interesting thing that has happened for the internet newspaper pioneer was the departure of the founder from whom it gets its name.

It hasn’t led on anything recently – video, podcasts, breaking stories, distinctive election coverage, or the much-sought-after millennials.

What it does have however (alongside 300 editors across the world) is a strong global brand. It is possibly the most recognizable digital media brand across the world. Arianna Huffington is almost every general-interest-bloggers role model, and if the new founders (Verizon) pay close enough attention, they may find that this is its strongest possible future (as far as we can see from our limited perch in Lagos).

Anyway, this will be the 17th international edition (it has previously launched in Egypt, again as a partnership) and it kicks off officially in November.

It’s aiming for the 35.4 estimated Internet users to be available to the country by 2018, the mobile users expected to hit 41.5 million and the 29 percent growth expected for digital video, at least according to its (incidentally South African) chief executive, Jared Grusd.

We say welcome.

PS: See anything worth talking about on the ins and outs of the media business in Nigeria on TV, radio, print and online (could be news, tweets, photos, opeds etc) send us a mail on [email protected] titled TMB. Let’s share the insight together!

Isime Esene