The African creator economy is a $3 billion market and is projected to reach $17.8 billion by 2030, yet about six in 10 creators earn less than $100 monthly from their creative work.
According to the Africa Creator Economy Report 2026 by Communique and TM Global, while African content now reaches global audiences, this often does not translate into revenue for many creators, defined in the report as anyone with more than 1,000 followers.
Brand sponsorships (28%) were the top source of income for the African creators surveyed, followed by sales of digital products/services (25.0%) and physical merchandise (14.2%). Ad revenue accounts for a meagre 5.8% of creators’ income.
These modest earnings are partly attributable to how creators themselves perceive their work.
Forty per cent of African creators still regard content creation as a hobby, an outlook that can limit the investment, discipline, and long-term planning required to build a sustainable enterprise. Yet there is growing recognition that this approach is no longer sufficient.
Among those surveyed, 40% identified business skills training as essential to long-term sustainability, while 71% said a clear business strategy and sound management are critical to attracting investment.
Beyond how creators perceive their work, audience size also plays a decisive role in earnings. The report finds that 57 percent of creators have fewer than 10,000 followers and rely primarily on Instagram. By contrast, the vast majority of creators with audiences exceeding 100,000 followers — 89 percent — maintain a presence across multiple platforms, most commonly Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
These structural limitations, the report argues, demand a rethink of how creators pursue income locally. Rather than relying on broad entertainment content or attempting to replicate global subscription models, the report suggests that African creators are better served by focusing on edutainment, practical, exclusive content with clear utility.
Monetisation strategies such as micro-payments, direct-to-consumer sales, and premium offerings tailored to local spending patterns, it says, show greater promise.
Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer
Techpoint Digest
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