Walk into a film set in Lagos, a music studio in Nairobi, or an editing suite in Johannesburg, and you’ll witness something extraordinary: Africa is bursting with creativity.
Young people across the continent are telling stories, producing films, animating worlds, and composing music that resonates far beyond our borders. The question is no longer whether Africa has talent; it’s whether we’re doing enough to harness it.
Why Africa’s Youth Hold the Key to a $2.2 Trillion Global Creative Economy
The global creative economy is booming. It contributes over $2.2 trillion to GDP and employs more than 30 million people. Africa, with a population of over 1.4 billion, most under the age of 25, is uniquely positioned to claim a significant share of this opportunity. But to do so, we must invest in our most powerful resource: our people.
Closing the Skills Gap: Training and Mentorship Are Fueling Africa’s Creative Rise
For decades, Africa’s film, television, and entertainment industries have been celebrated for their potential but held back by a persistent skills gap. Passionate creatives often lack access to structured training, mentorship, and the tools needed to bring their visions to life. Without these foundations, talent risks being stifled before it ever reaches the global stage.
From Passion to Profession: How Local Platforms Are Empowering African Creatives
Encouragingly, change is underway. Across the continent, organisations are building platforms that nurture the next generation of African creatives. These initiatives offer hands-on training, mentorship, and exposure to global industry standards. The result? Not just better films and music, but stronger industries that create jobs, drive innovation, and fuel economic growth.
One Filmmaker, Many Jobs: The Ripple Effect of Investing in Creative Talent
Consider the ripple effect of supporting just one filmmaker. A well-trained director assembles a team of editors, costume designers, set builders, sound engineers, and other professionals. Each project becomes a small business. Multiply that across the continent, and you have an ecosystem capable of rivalling Hollywood, Bollywood, or South Korea’s K-wave.
Policy Meets Passion: Building Sustainable Creative Industries Across Africa
But talent cannot thrive in isolation. Governments, private sector players, and educational institutions must collaborate to build sustainable creative industries. That means policies that support local content, tax incentives for productions, and investments in modern studios and equipment. It also means recognising the creative economy as a serious contributor to national development and not as a side hustle.
Changing the Narrative: Creative Careers Are Serious Business in Africa
Mindset matters, too. Too often, creative careers are dismissed as impractical or unserious. That must change. When nurtured, these industries have the power to shape global perceptions of Africa, tell authentic stories, and generate significant economic returns. African music already dominates global charts. Nollywood is one of the largest film industries in the world by volume. Streaming platforms are commissioning African content at unprecedented rates. The next step is ensuring our creatives are not just participating, but competing.
Tech as a Catalyst: Digital Tools Are Unlocking New Creative Frontiers
Technology is a powerful enabler. Digital platforms have democratised access to audiences, allowing creators to bypass traditional gatekeepers. But access alone isn’t enough. Creatives need training in digital literacy, marketing, and intellectual property rights to protect and profit from their work.
Inclusive Creativity: Why Diversity Is Africa’s Innovation Engine
Inclusivity must also be central to this transformation. Women, rural youth, and marginalized communities deserve equal opportunities to lead and create. Diversity fuels innovation, and a truly competitive workforce must reflect the richness of Africa’s cultures, languages, and perspectives.
The Talent Is Here, Now Let’s Build the Infrastructure to Match
The creative workforce Africa needs to compete globally is not a distant dream. It’s already in our classrooms, our communities, and our studios. What’s missing is sustained investment, structured training, and a belief in the power of African creativity to shape the future.
Africa’s Creative Currency: Investing in Stories That Shape the Future
Creativity is one of Africa’s strongest currencies. If nurtured with intention and supported by policy, infrastructure, and education, it will power our economies, elevate our stories, and position Africa as a global leader in the creative industries for generations to come.
Victoria Goro, OGW, is the Director of the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy in Eastern Africa.
