Africa Told by
Influencers

African influencers are profoundly redefining the narrative and perception of the continent. Through their digital platforms, these emerging voices not only tell more authentic and diverse stories about Africa but also challenge the stereotypes and limited representations that have dominated for years. A recent article in Nigrizia highlights numerous influencers who are becoming key players in constructing a new African identity that is richer, more complex, and capable of connecting with a global audience. Young men and women use their platforms to promote products, convey social and cultural messages, and raise awareness on topics like social activism, fashion, music, and African cuisine. They speak not only to Africa but to the entire world, consciously or unconsciously redefining the image of the continent.

The recent Nigrizia article, from which an excerpt is available, describes the most-used platforms, their profiles, and the content they share. However, on a deeper reading, it becomes clear how the spread of the gig economy — often facilitated by digital platforms and based on flexible, temporary jobs — is also bringing significant cultural and socioeconomic changes in Africa.

“Their voices are reshaping how Africa is perceived and told today.”

In a continent where the median age is under 20, the influence of social media and the personalities using it to spread their content is constantly growing. The role of influencers has become increasingly significant in shaping the choices of millions of followers. In the ever-growing and evolving landscape of the digital age, social media influencers have emerged in Africa as key actors in shaping consumer trends and creating a new narrative regarding the use of social media and online culture in general.

Some of the most famous African influencers in 2024 include Charity Ekezie (Nigeria), Tomiwa Aladekomo (Nigeria), Wode Maya (Ghana), Uncle Mo from ANF Narratives (Uganda), Marie Mbullu (Tanzania), and Claude Grunitzky (Togo), who are at the forefront of a kind of storytelling revolution across the continent through digital devices. Each of them has their own style and original way of attracting people of different ages and forming a unique bond with them, thus truly becoming “influencers.” Although they are relatively unknown in the Global North, their words resonate with millions of users, with the clearest evidence of this being their inclusion on New African Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2023. This recognition is a clear indicator that their voices are reshaping how Africa is perceived today.

With their creativity, they address a wide variety of content: politics, news, culture, sports, music, technology, human relationships, family, health, social issues, religion, or entertainment. They use digital platforms and social media to advise, guide choices, use humor, and tackle serious issues or funny situations. Some have a few thousand followers, while others have millions, but regardless, an influencer occupies a privileged position in the eyes of those who follow them on various social media platforms. To understand the extent to which Africans follow them, GeoPoll’s multimodal polling platform recently surveyed a sample of 1,466 users aged 18 to 60 in Kenya and Nigeria — which together have a combined population of 273 million — and published a report providing an in-depth analysis of social media influencers in the two countries. Here is a summary of the findings. (…)

Read the full article here: Nigrizia Article