Females lead African creator pool — Report

Females make up 53.2 percent of the African creator pool by 53.2 percent, according to an African Creator Economy report.

These women are leading in sectors like entertainment, food and wellness, fashion, and lifestyle, among others, with their male counterparts making up the remaining 46.8 percent. This nearly equal distribution points to a thriving creator ecosystem where both men and women build their brands, tell their stories and make waves online.

The report, compiled from a survey of African creators, revealed that the African creator economy is at its best and its worst right now.

It noted that this is a golden era for African creators, with growing demand for African cultural products, advanced technology removing barriers to creation and distribution, and a youthful, expanding audience.

However, it argues that it is a challenging time due to market saturation, as the ease of creating content has led to an overwhelming flood of material, much of it subpar.

With over 384.8 million social media users in Africa, according to the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report, the African creator economy, worth $3.08 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $17.84 billion by 2030, with a projected annual growth rate of 28.5 percent. However, in 2019, African creators saw only $22 million in venture capital, compared to $800 million for their Western counterparts.

The creator ecosystem comprises creators, their audiences, brands, digital platforms, creators’ tools, agencies, marketers and investors – all interconnected through the exchange of value in the form of content, money, goods, and services.

In Africa, the creator economy consists of social media influencers, artists, and creators in the 18-24 and 25-34 age ranges on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, among many others.

According to the report, about 43 percent have been in the industry for 1-3 years with less than 10k followers, indicating a relatively new wave of creators who are still early in their careers. Respondents revealed that Instagram and TikTok are the top platforms favoured for their visual appeal.

Part of the report read, “Instagram and TikTok lead as primary platforms, preferred for their visual content capabilities and engagement features. This aligns with the creators’ focus on entertainment and media, which thrive on these platforms.

“Although Instagram and TikTok take the crown now, 57.6 percent of creators are betting on YouTube as the best platform for long-term success.”

Despite the hype around the creator economy, creators are still not making so much. The Economy report revealed that 54 percent of creators make less than N100k.

“Money matters, but most creators aren’t cashing in just yet. Over 50 percent of respondents earn less than N100,000 monthly, aligning with 73.4 percent seeing content creation as more of a side hustle,” the report stated.

It added that 47.4 percent of creators make money by selling digital products. Some 20.7 per cent make money through sponsored content, while another 15.6 per cent make money from physical merchandise, with those who earn from ad revenue following at 11.9 per cent and 4.4 per cent earning from streaming platforms royalties.

Aside from low earnings, creators also face issues of access to capital, platform-specific hindrances, and inconsistent internet access, among others. Overall, the African creator economy is still budding, with new entrants entering the market.

David Adeleke, founder and publisher of Communique, noted about the report: “The creator economy is going to see a coalescing of things that have been spiking up in the past. Right now, many creators do it as a side hustle, but we’ll soon have more people actively trying to build businesses out of being creators.”