African creators push to cash in on growing digital audiences

Filmmakers and industry officials discuss film and television infrastructure at Bloomberg's 2026 Africa Business Media Innovators meeting in Cape Town. [Courtesy]

African publishers and creators are struggling to turn growing digital audiences into sustainable revenue as artificial intelligence reshapes the content industry.

The challenge emerged at Bloomberg’s 2026 Africa Business Media Innovators meeting in Cape Town, where journalists, publishers, creators and policymakers called for greater ownership of African intellectual property and new ways to monetise content.

Participants said publishers and creators need to capture more of the economic value generated by African content while adopting AI without compromising editorial judgement, trust and accountability.

South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele said digital platforms had given African voices a chance to reach global audiences without relying on outside gatekeepers.

“Africa has been reported on by other people, but the digital age gives this continent something extraordinary. The ability to speak to the world without asking anybody for permission. That changes the game completely. An African idea can become a global idea without first needing validation somewhere else. And that's power,” Gungubele observed.

Participants called for payment and distribution systems that can turn growing digital reach into revenue while retaining greater ownership of African intellectual property and cultural narratives.

They also called for stronger collaboration between traditional newsrooms and content creators and more support for Africa’s growing creative economy.

The meeting also examined the use of AI in journalism, with participants calling for the technology to support rather than replace editorial judgement.

Bloomberg data presented at the meeting showed that sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth has accelerated since 2025 compared with emerging markets and developing economies combined.

Participants said journalism should form part of this wider growth by providing reliable information, strengthening accountability and supporting informed economic decision-making.

Erana Stennett, Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy Lead for Africa and the Middle East, said collaboration would be critical to shaping the industry’s future.

“Africa's media's future must be shaped not only by the forces acting upon it, but by African journalists, editors, media owners, entrepreneurs, creators, investors, business and public leaders working together,” Stennett noted.

The 2026 meeting marks 10 years of Bloomberg bringing together media leaders through Africa Business Media Innovators (ABMI).

The programme is part of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, launched in South Africa in 2014 to support business journalism, strengthen media capacity and improve access to data across the continent.