Africa’s streaming market is expected to reach 46.3 million users by 2029. Meanwhile, revenues are expected to hit $5.4 million in 2025. That market is dominated by Netflix and Amazon Prime, but a new kid on the block wants a share of the pie.
Kava, the fruit of a partnership between Inkblot Studios and Filmhouse Group, is set to launch in August 2025 with more than 30 Nollywood titles.
“Kava is more than a streaming service. It’s a bold new chapter for Nollywood, designed to meet the growing demand for premium, authentic African content and to redefine how the world experiences our stories. By bringing Nollywood’s finest films and series to global audiences, we’re celebrating African identity, heritage, and creativity in a way that’s never been done before,” Kava Co-CEO Chinaza Onuzo said.
When the streaming service launches, it will have Nollywood titles such as Alakada Bad and Boujee, Owambe Thieves, What About Us, A Lagos Love Story, and House Job. New titles will be added weekly, and there are plans to create original content for the platform.
Kava launches just as Netflix and Amazon Prime have scaled back their investments on the continent, and faces a huge challenge to become a commercial success. IROKOtv, one of the continent’s earliest streaming services, has had a tumultuous existence. After providing Nollywood releases to both a local and diaspora audience, the company changed focus to target the diaspora due to difficulties monetising its local audience.
While Netflix and Amazon Prime have made some inroads into Africa’s streaming market, they continue to grapple with declining purchasing power across some of the continent’s largest economies. At the same time, calls for a homegrown alternative have persisted, a gap Showmax has partially filled.
YouTube, on the other hand, has become a go-to platform for Nollywood filmmakers. Both emerging and veteran talents have turned to the platform for distribution. However, despite its accessibility, YouTube remains a less-than-ideal option for most filmmakers. Ad revenues are inconsistent, and securing brand sponsorships is far from guaranteed, making it difficult to build a sustainable business model.
Kava’s Co-CEO, Kene Okwuosa, has positioned the platform as a space where African talents can tell their stories. But to truly make a difference, Kava will need to offer more than visibility; it must also provide creators with viable earning opportunities in a market where consumers are increasingly discerning about where they spend their money.
