In Africa, the creator economy has grown in recent years, giving bright people, especially young people, more ways to use their skills in this digital age.
Creators are looking for new ways to make the most of their skills, like selling e-books online and marketing goods to their thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media sites, and it’s working.
Digital creators do more than just make a steady income, which is interesting. They are also putting other pros to work. A YouTuber who has too much work and not enough time can now hire a virtual assistant to set up meetings or a videographer to help with records.
Selar commissioned a study called “The African Creator Economy and the Future of Work,” which gives more information about how online entrepreneurs have become employers.
According to the study, more than one-quarter of digital creators have paid someone to work with them on a project. It’s one in three for bloggers and YouTubers. With 36% of hired staff, YouTube artists are at the top, followed by bloggers with 35%, social media influencers with 31%, and digital product makers with 27%.
Graphic designers were hired more often than people in other jobs, according to the job descriptions of those who had jobs. Social media managers are the second job that digital makers want to hire the most.
Both require a deep understanding of how digital production works, which is a skill not all digital entrepreneurs have.
The study also showed some of the most important reasons why digital producers are outsourcing more and more work.
More than 2,000 creators took part in a study, and 43.6% of them said that they hired help because they didn’t have enough time to do everything themselves.
In second place are the 36.8% of producers who say they did it because they needed an expert. “I’ve grown and become too busy” (7.3%), “Other” (3.4%), and trying to give back to society (1.1%)
Selar CEO Douglas Kendyson said, that digital innovators on the continent are creating jobs. “Before this research survey was even a thing, we had noticed that many of our creators, especially the most successful ones, didn’t work alone, at least not all the time,” he said. They usually had extra support for various tasks. This is a significant reason we did this study.”
Read also: How health tech is changing the game in Africa
Why is Africa’s creator economy growing?
Hubspot said that the creative industry would be worth $104.2 billion in 2022. People and businesses have both put money into it. Selar, Caffeine, Linktree, and other companies like them are new and important.
Africans from many different countries have always been known for their creativity. The maker economy has grown faster because of the internet.
Statista predicts 59.9% internet penetration in Nigeria in 2026. Smartphones are sold in almost every African market, which makes it easy to connect to the internet and participate in the rewarding creative economy.
More Africans joined social media and found out how to make money on TikTok and Instagram. Influencers are used by brands to sell their products these days. Some of these businesses are 1XBet and Moniepoint.
According to the story, “Instagram creators can make money through sponsored content deals, merchandise sales, and other income streams.”
The study also connects the creator economy’s rapid rise to the drive for financial independence. That’s unchanging. Young Nigerians struggle to find jobs due to inflation and an economic downturn. Statista forecast 33% unemployment in Nigeria last year.
The creator ecosystem offers flexibility and creative control over one’s material in addition to making money. If you have the desire and the tools to hustle, it’s easy to enter the economy. In a white-collar career, formal experience and connections are essential to advancement.
The creator ecosystem offers flexibility and creative control over content in addition to making money. If you’re enthusiastic about economics and have the tools to hustle, it’s easy to get in. Most white-collar jobs require formal training and contacts to advance.
Traditional employment’s future
Problems often lead to both good and bad changes. Online shipping from Amazon and AliExpress is hitting retail. People are also worried that millions of jobs will be lost because of AI.
The creator economy is a good way to make money, show off your talent, and get more fans on YouTube, Facebook, etc. Most people, especially young people, are interested in digital business. But there is a cost. As more people start their own businesses, white-collar jobs may become outdated.
Supporting this creator economy
The study suggests that government authorities can boost the local economy by making the area an attractive place to do business. For instance, computer training programmes It states, “Policymakers may also need to think about new rules and regulations to protect workers and ensure competition is fair in the creative economy.”
Good conditions for artists should attract investors and increase revenue. The media should highlight inventors’ successes and shortcomings. This will attract more Africans and teach them valuable things. Everyone must contribute to the maker economy’s growth.