Africans Become New Stars in the YouTube Scene

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, as stay-at-home orders continue to roll out across the world, millions of people are turning to the internet for everything from virtual learning and working from home to entertainment and social media — leading to a surge in usage. With more than 70% of its video watch time coming from mobile devices, YouTube is increasingly focused on the growing African market — with 475 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone projected to have mobile internet access by 2025. Last week, YouTube named 20 African creatives as part of its inaugural Black Voices initiative, joining other entertainment giants such as Netflix and Disney to announce partnerships with African artists and production companies in the last year. CNN’s Eleni Giokos recently spoke with Alex Okosi, YouTube’s managing director of emerging markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to talk about the opportunities he sees in the future for African creatives.

SOURCE: CNN