How AFCON 2023 scored a 300% revenue boost for content creators
African creators' earnings during the recent African Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire, jumped by 300%, according to StarNews Mobile.
Content creators across Africa saw a revenue increase of 300% during the recent TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Côte d'Ivoire, according to StarNews Mobile, a Cameroon-based mobile video network.
Data from StarNews Mobile reveals a surge in engagement, with creators in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Côte d'Ivoire experiencing a rise of 200%, 300%, and 400% in both viewers and revenue, respectively, between December 2023 and February 2024. The platform saw a remarkable demand for AFCON-related content, streaming over four million videos per month to football fans and attracting 500,000 new subscribers specifically interested in the tournament.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) saw unprecedented global viewership for AFCON 2023 with an estimated two billion people tuning in. This reach was made possible through deals with broadcasters like Sky, Canal+, beIN Sport, BBC, MultiChoice, and 45 Free To Air broadcasters, spanning 180 countries.
Underscoring this impact, media accreditation requests doubled compared to the 2022 tournament, totalling 6,000 journalists. Market research firm GlobalData estimates CAF sponsorship revenue at $75 million, with key partners including TotalEnergies, 1xBet, Orange, and Unilever.
"Whilst one of the main conversations of this year’s AFCON has been the commercial growth of African sport, these statistics reinforce the revolution in another one of the continent’s fastest-growing sectors - the content space," says Guy Kamgaing, founder and CEO at StarNews Mobile. "Based on the data, there is undoubtedly a huge demand for quality, hyper-localised content from African creators but if we want to effectively unlock the full potential of this market opportunity, we must empower both sides of the marketplace."
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The global creator economy thrives at an estimated $20 billion, and Africa, boasting the world's youngest population, harbours a rising class of content creators eager to tap into this potential. However, barriers like limited international payment methods, cellular data constraints, and even cultural nuances hinder their ability to monetise content through traditional platforms.
"With this in mind, it's simply not enough to just provide a platform for African creators to express themselves. We need to invest in their success by equipping them with the financial stability, independence and freedom to create so they can fully leverage the massive value the continent and its diaspora’s 1.2 billion consumers hold," Kamgaing said.
