The Long Form Podcast
Hosted by Sanny Ntayombya
In-depth interviews on African politics, business, and culture, hosted by a Rwandan journalist challenging mainstream narratives.
A long-form interview show using a Rwandan lens to dissect major African and global issues. Host Sanny Ntayombya brings his journalistic and communications background to bear on high-level guests, from tech co-founders to political analysts. The podcast often acts as a forum for holding powerful entities accountable, particularly concerning their impact on the African continent, its creators, and its citizens.
“The show's edge comes from its specific Rwandan grounding and the host's willingness to ask pointed, proxy questions on behalf of artists and citizens. Unlike broader African-diaspora podcasts, it drills into the mechanics of power and economics from an East African viewpoint.”
Who hosts this show
Sanny Ntayombya is a Rwandan writer, podcaster, and communications expert. Born in Uganda to a Rwandan father and Ugandan mother, he was raised in Canada before returning to Rwanda in 1994. His career began as a journalist at The New Times and expanded into communications roles at Tigo Rwanda and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), where he worked on the 'Visit Rwanda' partnership with Arsenal FC. He launched The Long Form in 2023 to showcase African perspectives and counter Afro-pessimism in global media.
Credentials & credits
- Law degree, National University of Rwanda (2009)
- Master's degree in International Communications, Communication University of China
- Former Features Editor, The New Times
- Columnist, The New Times
- Contributor, Al Jazeera and Radio Netherlands Worldwide
- Founder, Affinity Media (communications agency)
Other ventures
- LF Media (production company)
- Affinity Media (communications agency)
- Columnist for The New Times
- Off the Record with Sanny Ntayombya (podcast)
- Rock City (former radio show on Contact FM)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- Canada
- Region
- north america
When new episodes drop
- 01Will AI Replace Musicians? | Audiomack Co-Founder RespondsJun 26, 2026 · 7 min
- 02
- 03African Artists Make Millions...So Who Gets the Money?Jun 24, 2026 · 5 min
- 04Why Rwandan Music Still Isn't Going Global | Audiomack Co Founder ExplainsJun 23, 2026 · 12 min
- 05What Happens To Uganda After MuseveniJun 23, 2026 · 14 min
- 06Why African Artists Are Still Not Getting Rich | Audiomack Co-Founder David PonteJun 22, 2026 · 1h 47m
- 07Why So Many Ugandans Are Losing Hope | Angelo IzamaJun 16, 2026 · 3h 05m
- 08Why Millions Of Banyarwanda Hide Their Identity In Uganda Dr Lawrence MugangaJun 12, 2026 · 18 min
Notable episodes
- 01Why African Artists Are Still Not Getting Rich | Audiomack Co-Founder David Ponte
A masterclass in Ntayombya's interview style, where he directly confronts a tech executive with tough questions about streaming payouts and value extraction in Africa.
- 02Why So Many Ugandans Are Losing Hope | Angelo Izama
A deep, analytical dive into the socio-economic pressures in Uganda, showcasing the podcast's strength in regional political commentary.
- 03"There Are Millions of Secret Banyarwanda in Uganda" — Dr. Lawrence Muganga
This episode tackles the sensitive and complex issue of identity, belonging, and historical tensions in the Great Lakes region, a core theme of the podcast.
What you'll be asked on this show
Sanny Ntayombya's interview style is that of a prosecutor for the people. He often opens by directly stating a common criticism or skeptical viewpoint about his guest's organization, forcing them to start on the defensive (e.g., "Why shouldn't people see Audiomack as another Western company extracting value?"). He listens intently for specific jargon or buzzwords, then doubles back to demand a precise definition (e.g., "What do you mean by 'build a community'?"). To make abstract issues concrete, he creates detailed hypothetical personas, like a young artist in Kigali, and asks for a step-by-step plan. His signature move is to confront guests with negative feedback he has gathered from others—"An artist told me..."—positioning himself as a conduit for his audience's concerns and challenging official narratives.
The format is a one-on-one interview, often running over an hour. Ntayombya prefaces his questions with long, contextual setups, frequently using anecdotes he's gathered from others to frame a direct challenge to his guest. The tone is serious, deeply researched, and consistently focused on the 'why' behind the headlines.
Questions Sanny Ntayombya keeps coming back to
7 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Sanny Ntayombya reaches for it.
controversy
2- Q.01
“Why shouldn't people see your company as just another Western firm extracting value from African creatives?”
He often asks this early to directly address skepticism and set a confrontational but fair tone.
- Q.02
“Does the rise of a new technology like AI-generated music worry you professionally?”
This question gauges a guest's immediate, top-of-mind reaction to a disruptive industry trend.
money
1- Q.01
“An artist told me your platform pays the least. Was he wrong to assess it that way?”
This move uses third-party anecdotes to challenge a guest with real-world criticism, forcing them to respond to specific user complaints.
advice
1- Q.01
“As a young artist from Kigali with a dream, what are the five things I need to do to make it?”
Ntayombya uses detailed personas to ground the conversation and elicit practical, actionable advice.
craft
1- Q.01
“You've described this new trend as 'slop'. Why do you use that specific word?”
He frequently seizes on a guest's own word choice to probe deeper into their reasoning and biases.
process
1- Q.01
“What exactly do you mean when you say 'build a community'?”
This is a classic follow-up used to deconstruct business jargon and demand a concrete definition.
values
1- Q.01
“What does it say about value and authenticity when an artist succeeds with AI after failing without it?”
He uses specific anecdotes, often provided by the guest, to pivot to larger, more philosophical questions.
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically high-level figures with direct influence in Africa, including tech executives, political analysts, journalists, and academics. The show books people who can speak authoritatively on industry-wide or geopolitical trends, such as Audiomack's co-founder or prominent Ugandan journalists.
- David Ponteon Why African Artists Are Still Not Getting Rich | Audiomack Co-Founder David Ponte
- Angelo Izamaon Why So Many Ugandans Are Losing Hope | Angelo Izama
- Dr. Lawrence Mugangaon "There Are Millions of Secret Banyarwanda in Uganda" — Dr. Lawrence Muganga
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is supported through a mix of direct listener contributions via Patreon and MTN MoMo, and sponsorships from B2B companies like 'African Languages Experts'. The host also promotes advertising opportunities on the show itself.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is the host's full name?
- The host's full name is Sanny Rwego Ntayombya.
- Is The Long Form Podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast releases new episodes on a weekly basis.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a long-form, one-on-one interview show focusing on politics, business, and culture from an African perspective.
- Who produces the podcast?
- The podcast is a production of LF Media, a Rwanda-based podcast production company founded by the host.
- How can I support the podcast?
- You can support the show via Patreon, MTN MoMo, or by inquiring about business partnerships via the email listed in the show description.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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