African creatives cash in on TikTok’s explosive growth

Africa is becoming a key market for social media companies amid a surge in engagement by young, tech-savvy users. Thanks to favourable demographics, rising internet penetration, and promising economic prospects, the continent’s advertising and consumer markets are poised for strong long-term growth. This has drawn increased investments from major players like Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant that owns TikTok.

Both companies have significantly expanded their presence in Africa in recent years. Notably, TikTok has become one of the leading sources of news and entertainment for African social media users. A report by Geopoll found that, as of 2023, the app was the second most popular social media platform in Africa, ahead of Instagram and X and behind only Facebook.

“Facebook emerged as the leader in active user engagement, boasting 82% of participants actively using the platform. TikTok followed closely with a significant 60% active user rate, indicating its growing popularity,” notes the report, which highlights the findings of a survey conducted in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. The majority of participants in the study said they spend an average of three to six hours daily on social media platforms, reflecting the growing significance of apps like TikTok in the daily lives of millions of Africans.

Why is TikTok increasingly popular in Africa, and what are its prospects amid growing concerns from some critics over issues such as online safety, data privacy, and disinformation?

Monetisation top of mind

“TikTok has been a platform that people feel most welcome, encouraging its community to be themselves, embracing their flaws and finding a community that does the same,” says Boniswa Sidwaba, head of content operations for TikTok Sub-Saharan Africa.

Moreover, TikTok provides African creative talent with opportunities to monetise their work. This has been key in the platform’s rapid growth in Africa, she argues. It provides an incentive for creatives to post content and engage with other users more frequently.

“Monetisation for creators is always top of mind for TikTok,” she says, pointing out that the platform offers various avenues for creators to generate income from their content. Among these is live gifting, a feature that enables users to send virtual gifts during live streams, which creators can then convert into real money. Another significant feature is live subscription, which allows creators to establish a subscriber base, enabling them to enjoy fairly steady income from regular subscription payments.

Sidwaba says that, beyond these TikTok-supported monetisation programmes, creators on the platform frequently seek independent partnerships with brands and advertisers.

“There are opportunities to work with brands that are aligned with each creator’s own personal brand on TikTok. A lot of content creators in Africa have landed endorsement deals with various companies as their brand ambassadors or marketers.”

She adds that TikTok has enabled African creators to extend their reach to audiences beyond the continent, thanks to the platform’s content curation algorithms that prioritises users’ shared interests over geographical boundaries.

“TikTok has made it easier for African creatives to connect with potential collaborators, investors, and consumers, allowing them to bypass traditional barriers to entry and grow their businesses more rapidly, globally. Where a user previously had only local reach, we are seeing more and more of them attract visibility in global markets like the US.”

For content creators who successfully monetise their work on TikTok, the rewards can be substantial.

“We have seen numerous brands and organisations identify great talent through the platform. Many creators, such as Tadeus Mbatha based in South Africa, found television stardom through TikTok, over and above the work that they do with big platforms such as Netflix.”

Success not guaranteed

However, Sidwaba cautions that success for creators is far from guaranteed, and that earnings can fluctuate significantly.

“It is important to note that earnings can vary widely, and success often requires consistent effort, creativity, and audience engagement.”

She argues that, before aspiring influencers dive into the world of TikTok, they must arm themselves with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in this highly competitive arena, where entry barriers are minimal.

“Today the barriers to creativity have been lifted and everyone is given the opportunity to produce content, effectively putting a studio, with music, effects and editing tools, in everyone’s pocket.”

TikTok has launched several initiatives aimed at helping creators produce standout content, utilise the platform’s tools, and gain essential skills. One notable effort is the Africa Creator Hub, an incubator program introduced last year to support creators’ success on the platform.

The inaugural cohort consisted of 28 creators from West and East Africa, who participated in an intensive eight-week training programme held in Kenya and Nigeria, Sidwaba notes. During this period, participants received training on creating high-quality content, accessed career-building resources, and engaged with prominent industry leaders. Additionally, they had opportunities to interact, collaborate, and build a community with their fellow creators.

Authenticity matters

Daniel Obura, senior program manager at Digitribe – a collaborative initiative between Ogilvy and East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) – is at the forefront of shaping the company’s digital content strategy in Kenya and the region. Regularly collaborating with social media influencers on various marketing campaigns for EABL, Obura offers valuable insights into what distinguishes successful influencers.

“Gone are the days when brands focused solely on follower count. Today, creativity, authenticity, engagement rate, audience demographics, content quality, reputation, and most importantly, brand alignment are what truly matter,” Obura told African Business.

Obura also highlights the importance of influencers knowing when to decline brand partnerships.

“It’s not always about signing up new clients but about maintaining authenticity. Promoting content that doesn’t align with an influencer’s values can damage their reputation and audience trust. Influencers should be very selective with the brands they choose to work with,” he advises.

Another significant challenge, according to Obura, is balancing sponsored and original content.

“There needs to be a balance because audiences lose interest if content is always sponsored. People pay for subscriptions to avoid YouTube ads and won’t hesitate to unfollow an influencer if their content is overwhelmingly promotional,” he notes.

Safety and trust top concerns

TikTok’s popularity among African youth continues to soar, with many young influencers finding imaginative ways to monetise their presence on the platform. However, the app faces significant criticism from policymakers across the continent due to concerns about safety and trust.

In Senegal and Somalia TikTok is banned, with authorities linking its use to subversive political activities. There is growing pressure to impose similar bans or restrictions in Egypt, Uganda, and Kenya, although no official actions have been taken yet.

Critics in these countries often argue that TikTok’s content regulation is insufficient, exposing users to inappropriate content that could potentially undermine cultural and religious values. Free speech critics fear governments are simply attempting to crack down on a vital conduit for legal political speech and dissent.

Sidwaba maintains that the platform has ramped up investments in user safety. In August, TikTok established a safety advisory council to guide its policies in Africa. This council, comprising eight experts, aims to help the company “manage current issues and anticipate future challenges,” she noted.

Members include Ethiopian academic Medhane Tadesse, Nigerian counter-extremism expert Akinola Olojo, and Kenyan child online safety advocate Lilian Kariuki. Other members are Ghanaian content creator Dennis Coffie and Aisha Dabo, co-founder of the Senegalese pro-democracy organisation AfricTivistes.

“Safety remains a priority for us at TikTok, aligning with the focus of many regulators and policymakers on the continent. Over the past few months, we have demonstrated our global yet local approach to ensuring user safety,” Sidwaba observes.

TikTok has also updated its community guidelines to reflect cultural norms in the countries it operates in as well as provide clearer instructions to creators.

“Like other platforms, TikTok has had to contend with issues such as the spread of harmful misinformation, which can have serious consequences in a region where access to reliable information may be limited,” says Sidwaba.

She notes that maintaining trust, especially during sensitive periods like elections, is crucial in ensuring the platform gains the confidence of users and regulators alike.

“We monitor elections across the continent and take appropriate action against harmful misinformation and disinformation,” she concludes, noting that the platform collaborates with 18 global fact-checking organisations to verify content in over 50 languages.