Top African entertainment tech startups reshaping fan engagement

By 2030, 5G penetration is forecast to reach 86.8% in South Africa, 51.6% in Kenya, and 35.3% in Nigeria.

Users should check whether a platform publishes clear terms, provides contact details and explains how personal data is handled. European users may rely on privacy rules, refund rights and sector specific licensing. Its presence in global search results does not mean the service is available or authorised in every country.

Connectivity is expanding Africa’s digital audience, while advertising is becoming central to how that audience is monetised. Nigeria combines a large population with rapidly expanding digital audiences, advertising investment, and entertainment consumption. Furthermore, as more hubs mature and funding flows into content, creator economies, and fan engagement, new players will join this list.

After winning AFCON 2027 hosting bid, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania push for common visa to boost regional tourism

Moreover, they reveal a future where African fans enjoy world-class digital experiences built around their tastes, payment habits, and communities. Ultimately, the top 10 African entertainment tech startups highlighted here show how quickly the landscape is evolving. Ultimately, the earlier you plug into this ecosystem, the more you benefit from its rapid growth. Additionally, follow funding updates from platforms like Disrupt Africa to see which entertainment-tech startups raise capital next.

Video is expanding across screens, while mobile is bringing gaming within reach of more consumers.
AI can support this shift by improving translation, subtitling, localisation, content discovery, recommendation, audience segmentation, campaign optimisation, and production workflows.
In addition, brands and platforms gain from a healthier, better-financed creator base that can produce more content.
Affordable smartphones, expanding mobile data coverage, and a young, digitally fluent population have combined to create one of the fastest-growing digital entertainment markets in the world.
Ultimately, if you want to track where the next big entertainment-tech player will emerge, follow these hubs closely.
In addition, artists and rights owners gain clearer insights into who listens or watches their work.
Users need to understand the difference between a platform being accessible and a platform being licensed for their location.
Therefore, use it as a starting point to discover more players, trends, and opportunities.
A music app and two streaming services, a short video feed, a gaming account, and a sports subscription on top.
In addition, fans discover new songs and genres through editorial playlists and social features.
Ultimately, Boomplay’s growth reinforces the idea that African-built or African-focused platforms can compete with global giants on home turf.
A new wave of African entertainment tech startups is transforming streaming, ticketing and fan engagement across Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.

How can organisations turn audience growth into long-term value? Increasingly, competitive advantage comes from understanding the audience relationship. The pace of change varies by market, requiring businesses to manage both established and emerging channels simultaneously.

In addition, its brand remains a strong reference point for film-focused African startups looking at subscription video services. In addition, the platform offers data tools that help labels track performance across multiple markets. In addition, they help creators earn more, audiences discover new talent, and brands tap into engaged communities. As digital markets grow, regulators face the task of protecting consumers without blocking useful services. This growth is creating a larger market for streaming, gaming, online shopping, financial services and other forms of digital entertainment.

The demand, mobile-connected consumers who want accessible digital entertainment. Its gaming market alone reached $153 million and is projected to keep expanding at 6.9% annually through 2029. Recent industry analysis has increasingly pointed to fintech innovation and mobile payment adoption as one of the key forces accelerating Africa’s mobile gaming and digital entertainment boom. The infrastructure that was built for financial inclusion quietly became the infrastructure for digital entertainment, and the industry is only now catching up to what that means. Human oversight remains essential where AI affects content, creative rights, audiences, or brand trust.

Moreover, it uses digital tools and, in some cases, blockchain-inspired approaches to track creative outputs and transactions. Consequently, artists and promoters gain clearer insight into attendance trends and fan demographics. Furthermore, digital ticketing reduces fraud and improves security at venues, which boosts trust between organisers and fans. Ultimately, platforms like irokoTV prove that African stories can win loyal viewers worldwide. Ultimately, Showmax shows how entertainment-tech can strengthen creative ecosystems through commissioning and distribution.

Every hour spent on these platforms feeds data into local ad networks, payment systems, and content studios. Operators in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt often watch the South African market because it can signal wider regional trends. The Reserve Bank has supported faster payment systems such as PayShap, which have helped a lot. The infrastructure that M-Pesa built for financial inclusion did not just change how Africans manage money.

CREATIVE CREDITAI (Kenya) – Financing African Creators

Local films accounted for almost half of Nigeria’s box-office revenue in 2025. Nigeria records the strongest growth at 22.8% a year, although cinema remains a relatively small category in absolute terms. OTT grows faster but remains below traditional TV through 20230

In many African markets, the smartphone is the main device people use to access the internet.
Every hour spent on these platforms feeds data into local ad networks, payment systems, and content studios.
Consequently, fans in Tanzania, Nigeria, or Uganda see content that feels local, not imported.
Furthermore, by giving creatives clearer records, the platform supports fairer payouts and contract negotiations.
However, rapid streaming growth does not mean the immediate replacement of traditional television.
According to reporting by Reuters, governments across emerging markets are grappling with how to regulate fast-evolving digital services without stifling the innovation and economic activity they generate.
European users may rely on privacy rules, refund rights and sector specific licensing.
The operators and platforms that understand this, and build accordingly are the ones gaining traction.
A platform that loads slowly may lose users before its content even appears.
Users can pay for subscriptions, games and other services without a credit card.
Furthermore, Boomplay invests in editorial teams and partnerships to spotlight rising African artists.

It is shaping it — demanding products that are affordable, data-efficient, and increasingly interactive. This youthful, mobile-native population is not merely consuming digital entertainment passively. Mobile money, for instance, achieved mainstream adoption in East Africa years before similar systems gained traction elsewhere. With one of the youngest populations in the world — the median age in Nigeria is under 20 — the continent represents the future of digital consumption.

This requires trusted first-party data, clear audience definitions, effective activation, transparent media spending, and measurement frameworks that extend beyond impressions and reach A sustainable OTT proposition must balance affordability, differentiation, and monetisation. Copyright, licensing, attribution, source verification, misinformation, privacy, bias, and brand safety will require clear accountability and human oversight. The commercial value of shared experiences therefore extends beyond ticket or box-office revenue. South Africa’s music, radio, and podcasts market is also forecast to grow from R8.0bn in 2025 to R10.6bn in 2030.

Where the leisure spending is going

These channels can extend engagement before, during, and after an event, connecting physical participation with a wider digital audience relationship. Digital engagement is strengthening audience discovery, but it is not replacing the demand for collective entertainment. However, rapid streaming growth does not mean the immediate replacement of traditional television.

The takeaway for consumers

Moreover, four main hubs – Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana – anchor much of the continent’s entertainment-tech innovation. Ultimately, Storipod and similar startups expand the definition of entertainment-tech beyond music and film into everyday storytelling. Furthermore, podcasters and spoken-word artists gain a home that understands their needs and constraints. Therefore, Storipod sits at the intersection of entertainment, education, and community building.

Notably, this brings founders, investors, and artists into the same rooms to shape the future of African entertainment. As a result, startups that solve these needs quickly gain loyal users and regional scale. As a result, you get a clear view of the landscape, plus practical signals to follow if you want to invest, collaborate, or build in this space. Moreover, we focus on platforms for music and film streaming, ticketing, fan engagement, and creator monetisation. Furthermore, global streaming giants still dominate headlines, but they rarely capture the full depth of African creativity. Ultimately, if you care about music, film, live events, and influencer culture, this is the ecosystem you need to watch.

Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters

For consumers, this evolving regulatory landscape means a gradual increase in protections — clearer terms, better transparency, and stronger safeguards against predatory practices. Issues around consumer protection, data privacy, and responsible spending are increasingly on the agenda. Studies of digital consumer behaviour consistently show that people underestimate how much they spend on small, frequent digital transactions. Players who grasp the underlying odds tend to make better decisions, and a new category of analytical tools has emerged to support them. Mobile money platforms have been crucial enablers here, allowing users to make small digital payments without traditional bank accounts. Streamers, moderators, designers, support staff, data analysts, and marketing teams all benefit.

The Infrastructure Question

What makes Africa’s digital entertainment boom particularly significant is its demographic foundation. But until those frameworks mature fully, much of the responsibility for making sound decisions rests with individual users. As digital entertainment grows, regulators across Africa are working to establish appropriate frameworks. Knowing the numbers, tracking spending, and making deliberate rather than impulsive decisions are skills that transfer directly from informed digital entertainment to sound personal finance. Microtransactions, in-app purchases, and subscription models are designed to feel small and frictionless, but they accumulate. These games have attracted a growing audience precisely because they reward understanding rather than pure luck.

Additionally, startup directories such as Startup Map Africa track hundreds of creative and media-related companies across the continent. Additionally, we link to resources and wider coverage so you can explore more across African tech and culture. Africa’s role in global digital entertainment will continue to grow as connectivity and payment systems improve. Users can pay for subscriptions, games and other services without a credit card. This example shows why consumers should check where a platform is licensed before creating an account, sharing personal information or making a payment. Consumers can pay for films, music, games, sports coverage and social content through a single mobile device.

How are video and gaming changing audience behaviour?

South Africa’s music, radio, and podcasts market is also forecast to grow from R8.0bn in 2025 to R10.6bn in 2030.
Mobile and fixed services remain the largest E&M revenue pool in all three markets.
Ultimately, this data helps them plan tours, releases, and collaborations based on real audience behaviour.
By 2030, connectivity is forecast to account for approximately 60% of total E&M revenue in South Africa, 75% in Kenya, and 66% in Nigeria.
According to the GSMA Mobile Economy report, mobile technologies and services now account for a significant share of sub-Saharan Africa’s economy, with smartphone adoption climbing year after year.
In addition, its brand remains a strong reference point for film-focused African startups looking at subscription video services.
South Africa led with $296 million, but Nigeria posted the highest growth rate at 7.4% CAGR, driven almost entirely by mobile access, with more than 80% of its population connecting to the internet via smartphone.
Video is expanding across screens, while mobile is bringing gaming within reach of more consumers.
In addition, artists and rights owners gain clearer insights into who listens or watches their work.
Digital engagement is strengthening audience discovery, but it is not replacing the demand for collective entertainment.
Affordability remains one of the most important factors influencing digital media adoption across Africa.
Users can pay for subscriptions, games and other services without a credit card.
Audio can draw audiences into wider entertainment ecosystems encompassing live events, sponsorship, creator communities, social engagement, and commerce.

Fixed broadband is growing faster than mobile services, expanding the audience for streaming, gaming, connected television, and other data-intensive experiences. Additionally, they point toward actions that support positive African innovation while benefiting your own goals. Ultimately, the more creators adopt entertainment-tech, the stronger Africa’s cultural influence becomes globally. In addition, brands seeking authentic partnerships can work through organised systems rather than ad-hoc deals. Consequently, African content creators on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube gain additional ways to structure their businesses.

Additionally, they show that creators can gain more control over their careers by using tools designed for local realities. In addition, Ghanaian artists and filmmakers reach diasporic audiences through platforms like Showmax and Boomplay, extending their impact beyond local TV. Additionally, each market combines strong creative industries with growing tech talent and startup support networks. Additionally, this kind of infrastructure matters deeply for musicians, filmmakers, and content creators seeking transparency.

Consequently, fans get a single, trusted interface for different kinds of tickets, which improves adoption.
Additionally, this kind of infrastructure matters deeply for musicians, filmmakers, and content creators seeking transparency.
Moreover, they reshape how value flows between artists, fans, and brands, using technology as the bridge.
Ultimately, Mdundo shows how entertainment-tech can scale by respecting on-the-ground realities, especially in East Africa.
Ultimately, platforms like irokoTV prove that African stories can win loyal viewers worldwide.
Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Ultimately, this data helps them plan tours, releases, and collaborations based on real audience behaviour.
For millions of Nigerians, the smartphone is not a secondary screen — it is the primary, and often only, gateway to the internet.
Consequently, these tools help emerging stars move from viral clips to sustainable careers with predictable revenue.
The growth of digital entertainment carries a financial dimension that consumer advocates increasingly emphasise.
Ultimately, the earlier you plug into this ecosystem, the more you benefit from its rapid growth.

Digital Entertainment Platforms and Africa’s Growing Online Consumer Market

Consequently, many Afrobeats and Amapiano stars use it as a core channel for new releases and fan engagement. Moreover, it comes bundled on millions of Transsion smartphones (Tecno, Infinix, Itel), giving it strong distribution across the continent. Ultimately, Mdundo shows how entertainment-tech can scale by respecting on-the-ground realities, especially in East Africa. Moreover, it focuses on low-data usage and easy downloads, which fit users who rely on affordable Android phones and prepaid data.

Ultimately, this data helps them plan tours, releases, and collaborations based on real audience behaviour. Furthermore, local streaming apps integrate with payments such as mobile money and airtime billing. Importantly, the impact of these African entertainment tech startups goes beyond simple app downloads. Ultimately, if you want to track where the next big entertainment-tech player will emerge, follow these hubs closely. Therefore, when you look at future stars in streaming or fan engagement, you often find them in these cities.

The Numbers Behind the Shift

Consequently, it experimented with different pricing models, regional launches, and partnerships to sustain growth. Furthermore, irokoTV’s journey highlights the challenges and rewards of building entertainment-tech from Africa for a global audience. Moreover, it built a global audience for Nigerian films long before most people could access them easily online. Furthermore, Boomplay invests in editorial teams and partnerships to spotlight rising African artists. Furthermore, the platform publishes regular reports on listener trends, giving brands and artists insight into changing tastes. Secondly, Mdundo, based in Kenya and operating across multiple African countries, targets the mass market with simple, mobile-first music access.

Lightweight mobile games, data-friendly streaming, and browser-based services have flourished precisely because they fit these constraints. Entertainment products that succeed in Africa are those optimised for smaller screens, lower data consumption, and intermittent connectivity. For millions of Nigerians, the smartphone is not a secondary screen — it is the primary, and often only, gateway to the internet. Understanding this shift matters, because it is reshaping not only how people relax, but how they spend their money. Streaming services, mobile gaming, social platforms, and online communities now occupy hours that were once spent on radio, television, or offline pursuits.

Successful services study these differences instead of treating Africa as one uniform market. Digital services do not grow in exactly the same way across the continent. A platform that loads slowly may lose users before its content even appears. A large share of consumers rarely use a desktop computer.

A Market Finding Its Feet

In addition, fans discover new songs and genres through editorial playlists and social features.
Africa’s digital boom is not happening in spite of its consumer base, it is being shaped by it.
A regulated operator such as 711.nl is designed for adult users in the Netherlands and operates within Dutch licensing rules.
In addition, Ghanaian artists and filmmakers reach diasporic audiences through platforms like Showmax and Boomplay, extending their impact beyond local TV.
Users need to understand the difference between a platform being accessible and a platform being licensed for their location.
Therefore, Storipod sits at the intersection of entertainment, education, and community building.
Africa’s shift from passive consumer to active digital participant is happening faster than most analysts predicted, and it is being driven not by desktop broadband but by the smartphone in someone’s pocket on a Nairobi matatu or a Lagos bus.
Language, payment methods, internet costs and local media habits all influence how people use a platform.
Additionally, each market combines strong creative industries with growing tech talent and startup support networks.
Every hour spent on these platforms feeds data into local ad networks, payment systems, and content studios.
Streaming, social media, short-form video, and audio services increasingly help audiences discover films, artists, events, and cultural experiences.
In addition, they integrate with social and messaging platforms to drive last-minute sales or updates.
Moreover, it offers curated playlists, exclusive releases, and partnerships with telecoms to lower data costs for listeners.
According to reporting by Reuters, governments across emerging markets are grappling with how to regulate fast-evolving digital services without stifling the innovation and economic activity they generate.
Additionally, Boomplay focuses on African catalogues, offline listening, and flexible subscription options including mobile money payments.

With an estimated 60 million people engaging with some form of digital gaming or online entertainment daily, the market’s scale reflects a population that treats the phone as its primary leisure device. That model maps almost exactly onto what African consumers are now demanding from digital leisure platforms. It is worth being specific about what African users are actually doing online in their leisure time, because the picture is more varied than the headlines suggest. In markets where traditional banking is inaccessible or inconvenient, the ability to top up a gaming or entertainment platform the same way you send money to a relative has removed the single biggest barrier to entry. South Africa led with $296 million, but Nigeria posted the highest growth rate at 7.4% CAGR, driven almost entirely by mobile access, with more than 80% of its population connecting to the internet via smartphone.

People Want to Choose for Themselves

Therefore, Africa’s entertainment-tech story is not just about apps; it is about power shifting toward the people who make and love the culture. Furthermore, if you enjoyed this deep dive into African entertainment tech startups, you will find plenty more stories on our platform. Consequently, these tools help emerging stars move from viral clips to sustainable careers with predictable revenue. Furthermore, South African Amapiano producers and DJs rely on streaming data and fan insights to target new cities and audiences.

Son of Africa’s richest king opens Morocco’s horse show as royal Grand Prix reaches top international level

By 2030, 5G penetration is forecast to reach 86.8% in South Africa, 51.6% in Kenya, and 35.3% in Nigeria.

Additionally, irokoTV’s archives include classics and popular hits, giving fans deep access to Nollywood history. Moreover, Showmax invests in local productions and partnerships, which supports regional film industries and talent. Ultimately, Boomplay’s growth reinforces the idea that African-built or African-focused platforms can compete with global giants on home turf. Additionally, Boomplay focuses on African catalogues, offline listening, and flexible subscription options including mobile money payments. Consequently, fans in Tanzania, Nigeria, or Uganda see content that feels local, not imported.

Ultimately, platforms like uduX push Afrobeats, Alte, and other subcultures deeper into everyday digital life.
But they are engineering and compliance problems, not fundamental barriers to growth.
As a result, startups that solve these needs quickly gain loyal users and regional scale.
However, local innovators now build products tailored to African payment systems, languages, and fan behaviour.
Streaming services, mobile gaming, social platforms, and online communities now occupy hours that were once spent on radio, television, or offline pursuits.
Distribution, however, remains concentrated among platforms that influence content discovery, audience access, advertising delivery, and creator revenue.
What makes Africa’s digital entertainment boom particularly significant is its demographic foundation.
Mobile internet access has kept growing over time.
Streaming is growing, Kenya’s OTT market is projected to nearly double in revenue by 2029, supported by ad-funded tiers that keep costs accessible.
Furthermore, if you enjoyed this deep dive into African entertainment tech startups, you will find plenty more stories on our platform.
Additionally, CREATIVE CREDITAI analyses creator revenue streams and risk, then links users to suitable lenders and products.
Firstly, uduX is a Nigerian music streaming platform that focuses on African catalogues and local user behaviour.
Users should check whether a platform publishes clear terms, provides contact details and explains how personal data is handled.

If the platform does not deliver, people leave without a second thought. You can top up a streaming account or buy game credits, or fund a gaming wallet in under a minute without ever leaving the app. It is the same mindset people use across much of South Africa’s digital economy. People have moved on from the days when TV largely decided what the evening looked like. All of that means more people can watch, play, and browse whenever they want, wherever they are.

Ultimately, platforms like uduX push Afrobeats, Alte, and other subcultures deeper into everyday digital life. Furthermore, uduX works closely with artists and labels to improve revenue sharing and visibility. Moreover, it offers curated playlists, exclusive releases, and partnerships with telecoms to lower data costs for listeners. Firstly, uduX is a Nigerian music streaming platform that focuses on African catalogues and local user behaviour. Therefore, use it as a starting point to discover more players, trends, and opportunities.

Storipod (Pan-African) – Audio, Storytelling and Community

Kenya’s growth is underpinned by connectivity, digital payments, and online engagement.
Traditional television is therefore expected to remain the larger video segment in all three markets through 2030.
Local content can create value through intellectual property, licensing, sponsorship, live experiences, commerce, and distribution across markets.
In addition, Ghanaian artists and filmmakers reach diasporic audiences through platforms like Showmax and Boomplay, extending their impact beyond local TV.
In addition, advertisers tap into focused, loyal audiences who value authenticity and depth.
Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
With one of the youngest populations in the world — the median age in Nigeria is under 20 — the continent represents the future of digital consumption.
Additionally, startup directories such as Startup Map Africa track hundreds of creative and media-related companies across the continent.
It is shaping it — demanding products that are affordable, data-efficient, and increasingly interactive.
Additionally, major events like Africa Tech Festival now include tracks focused on content, media, and creator economies.
Ultimately, if you want to track where the next big entertainment-tech player will emerge, follow these hubs closely.
Moreover, Showmax invests in local productions and partnerships, which supports regional film industries and talent.
While subscription streaming dominates consumer spending in North America and Europe, African users channel a larger share toward mobile games, social platforms, and increasingly, interactive and skill-based online games.

Online betting accounted for 60% of gross gambling revenue. Social media engagement is among the highest in the world by time spent, particularly on TikTok and YouTube. Kenya’s broader entertainment and media sector grew 7.1% in 2024, outperforming global averages. Africa’s shift from passive consumer to active digital participant is happening faster than most analysts predicted, and it is being driven not by desktop broadband but by the smartphone in someone’s pocket on a Nairobi matatu or a Lagos bus. Today it pays for streaming subscriptions, gaming top-ups, and online platform access across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and beyond. That single fact — unremarkable to millions of Kenyans — explains more about Africa’s digital leisure revolution than any market report.

Consequently, listeners discover African voices in technology, culture, comedy, and lifestyle without relying only on global apps. In addition, brands and platforms gain from a healthier, better-financed creator base that can produce more content. Additionally, CREATIVE CREDITAI analyses creator revenue streams and risk, then links users to suitable lenders and products. Additionally, its work with operators and mobile money shows how digital rails can serve multiple sectors. Additionally, Ticketpro integrates with online and retail channels so fans can buy in ways that suit them best.

Additionally, they host local creators who share stories, interviews, and commentary rooted in African realities.
Moreover, it comes bundled on millions of Transsion smartphones (Tecno, Infinix, Itel), giving it strong distribution across the continent.
South Africa’s scale is supported by an advanced communications infrastructure, a sophisticated advertising ecosystem, and high levels of digital adoption.
Fixed broadband is growing faster than mobile services, expanding the audience for streaming, gaming, connected television, and other data-intensive experiences.
A sustainable OTT proposition must balance affordability, differentiation, and monetisation.
Ultimately, Boomplay’s growth reinforces the idea that African-built or African-focused platforms can compete with global giants on home turf.
The growth of digital entertainment carries a financial dimension that consumer advocates increasingly emphasise.
Audio can draw audiences into wider entertainment ecosystems encompassing live events, sponsorship, creator communities, social engagement, and commerce.
Platforms that support familiar local payment methods often perform better than those that depend on international cards alone.
Consequently, creators can fund tours, video shoots, studio time, or marketing campaigns without giving up full control to labels.
Streaming is growing, Kenya’s OTT market is projected to nearly double in revenue by 2029, supported by ad-funded tiers that keep costs accessible.
Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
As a result, you get a clear view of the landscape, plus practical signals to follow if you want to invest, collaborate, or build in this space.
Consequently, emerging musicians gain access to marketing tools and analytics that help them grow their fan bases.

A music app and two streaming services, a short video feed, a gaming account, and a sports subscription on top. Mobile gaming, casual, social, and increasingly competitive, is expanding rapidly across all three major markets, with esports beginning to attract meaningful investment in South Africa and Nigeria. AI can support this shift by improving translation, subtitling, localisation, content discovery, recommendation, audience segmentation, campaign optimisation, and production workflows. Distribution, however, remains concentrated among platforms that influence content discovery, audience access, advertising delivery, and creator revenue.

Consequently, emerging musicians gain access to marketing tools and analytics that help them grow their fan bases. Specifically, the following ten African entertainment tech startups stand out for their impact on streaming, ticketing, and fan engagement. On the other hand, creators want fairer monetisation and tools that help them move beyond traditional labels and studios. However, local innovators now build products tailored to African payment systems, languages, and fan behaviour.

Consequently, from Lagos to Nairobi and Accra to Cape Town, founders are building platforms that put African stories, sounds, and fans at the centre. A new wave of African entertainment tech startups is transforming streaming, ticketing and fan engagement across Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana. The strongest platforms will combine reliable technology with local knowledge, clear pricing and transparent rules. Rules need to cover privacy, advertising, payments and age restricted content.

Connectivity is expanding digital audiences, advertising is becoming more sophisticated, and consumers are engaging with content across an increasingly diverse mix of platforms, formats, and experiences. Pricing, advertising-supported models, bundling, and flexible propositions can help services reach wider audiences without relying exclusively on subscription growth. Streaming, social media, short-form video, and audio services increasingly help audiences discover films, artists, events, and cultural experiences. Payment fragmentation remains a genuine challenge, M-Pesa dominates East Africa, but MTN Mobile Money, Opay, and Palmpay each serve different markets, meaning platforms that want continental reach need to integrate multiple payment systems. Locally relevant content and effective discovery can also help services differentiate as consumers gain access to more viewing options.

The financial literacy dimension

This requires trusted first-party data, clear audience definitions, effective activation, transparent media spending, and measurement frameworks changes in pre-match betting markets that extend beyond impressions and reach A sustainable OTT proposition must balance affordability, differentiation, and monetisation. Copyright, licensing, attribution, source verification, misinformation, privacy, bias, and brand safety will require clear accountability and human oversight. The commercial value of shared experiences therefore extends beyond ticket or box-office revenue. South Africa’s music, radio, and podcasts market is also forecast to grow from R8.0bn in 2025 to R10.6bn in 2030.