Can Africa Save TikTok?
Welcome to The Creator Dhow - your one-stop shop for navigating the seas of the creator economy with an African perspective. The seas have been rough for TikTok, but we remain hopeful for calm weather. Today’s trip:
Can Africa Save TikTok?
2024 has been a challenging year for TikTok. The Chinese-owned company is facing legal battles over a potential U.S. ban that could cut it off from its 170 million users. What began as discussions about a sale to an American company has evolved into a complex debate about national security versus First Amendment rights. Based on the recent hearings, a difficult path lies ahead.
Why this matters: The U.S. is one of TikTok’s largest and most strategic markets, especially given its intricate relationship with the music industry. EMarketer projects that TikTok’s U.S. ad revenues will reach $10.42 billion in 2024. Losing this market would add to the growing list of countries that have banned the platform or its features, including India (200 million users in 2020) and Indonesia (150 million users last year).
And that’s not all — amid these challenges, TikTok began global layoffs in June, affecting over half of its teams in South Africa and Nigeria according to reports.
Dive-in: Currently, TikTok offers no direct monetization options for African creators, as effective monetization relies on a robust local advertising network. Nevertheless, the growth potential for TikTok on the continent is undeniable. Creators have built large, engaged communities and are forging brand deals independently, navigating around the platform’s limitations.
The Big Picture: TikTok is the fastest-growing social platform in Africa. As more users join, there’s a significant opportunity for TikTok to enhance its presence on the continent, similar to Google’s approach in engaging top advertisers and creating lucrative opportunities for creators.
As TikTok faces pressure from Washington and its allies, strengthening its ties with Africa could be a strategic move. With Africa boasting the youngest population in the world and smartphone and internet penetration rising rapidly, focusing on the continent isn’t just a lifeline—it’s an investment in the future.
Meet The Kenyan Woman Reinventing Retirement
Gen-Z & Millennials, move over. There’s a new content queen, and she’s a Boomer! Meet Christine Akinyi Ochola, the creator behind Sixty+life, a channel that celebrates the beauty and joy of life after retirement.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon one of Christine’s videos, and I was instantly hooked. With over 100K views, it was clear that she had tapped into something special. Upon exploring how well her content packaging was done — I immediately knew I had to learn more about her journey and share her incredible story.
I reached out and ultimately landed an interview with her where she took me through her remarkable journey. I left the interview feeling inspired and provoked to take bigger steps in my own life. Here is a summary of our conversation:
领英推荐
How she started: At 55, Christine’s company began preparing her for retirement, giving her five more years to work. As that time approached, she knew she wanted to keep herself busy. Inspired by her content-creating niece — she decided to start one of her own. Not willing to leave her new journey to chance by relying on others, she set out to learn editing from her niece. Today, a one-woman show, handling all filming, narrating, and editing herself with just her phone and two tripods!
Her content and audience: Christine began with vegetarian meal content, primarily for her friends. Encouraged by her niece to share more of her lifestyle, she embraced this and the algorithm embraced her. Now, she highlights her life in her sixties, showcasing her authentic perspective, healthy lifestyle, and occasional adventures. Today her audience is no longer just her friends - it’s people of all ages around the globe.
The business & impact: As a member of the YouTube Partner Program, Christine now earns from her content as she shares her journey. At the same time — she’s now getting the opportunity to talk to people in companies about retirement. Her core message: retirement is just the beginning of a new chapter in life.
The future: Christine is focused on impact. She wants to continue to encourage and inspire people around the continent and beyond by showcasing that retirement is just a transition— and a transition to perhaps the most exciting time of your life.
Her advice to everyone: Keep active, and be actively involved in life - be a part of a community or pick up a new skill! Retirement must be viewed as a new phase of life where you learn new things.
Since retiring she has learned how to swim and paint among other things
Our Take: Christine’s journey demonstrates that there’s an audience for every story. She proves it’s not about the equipment, but the narrative—your story. Above all, she shows that with determination, anyone can acquire the skills to thrive and seize the opportunities the creator economy offers, regardless of age.
Is Africa Ready For Creator-Led Consumer Goods?
Creators KSI, Logan Paul & Mr. Beast recently launched Lunchly, set to compete with Lunchables—an iconic pre-packaged meal kit that debuted in 1988. This is not their first venture into perishable consumer goods. KSI & Logan Paul founded Prime, a drink that generated $250 million in its first year and soared to $1.2 billion in annual sales the following year. Mr. Beast’s Feastables—a chocolate brand—made $10 million in sales in just a few months of operations.
Dive-in: Creator-led businesses don’t always end in success, but those that do have one thing in common—a strong, supportive ecosystem. The right partnerships with manufacturers, distribution networks, a large and engaged audience, and a product that resonates with them are key to how far these ventures can scale.
Why this matters: As African creators grow in prominence across various niches, we must ask whether the continent has the ecosystem to nurture and scale such ventures. It’s more than having the retail infrastructure, distribution channels, and manufacturing partnerships. Do we have the market to make these ventures sustainable alongside traditional brands?
The big picture: It might be early to tell, but we are definitely close. In a Fin-Tech dominated startup ecosystem on the continent, we are finally seeing the emergence of startups in the consumer goods space. African Originals raised $2 million to bring their beverages to larger audiences. This is a great indicator that more people are willing to invest in consumer goods tailored to local markets. As the continent with the largest young population in the world continues to discover the power of the creator economy, it won’t be too long before we have our own case study of a creator-led consumer good causing waves on the continent.
We hope you enjoyed our second edition. It’s been a pleasure taking you around. Subscribe to The Creator Dhow here to get this straight in your inbox. Click here