Digital Economy

Nigeria’s Content Creation Industry: Mark Angel, others make more than $100,000 per year

Published by
Moyin Arowolo

Nigeria’s content creation industry is booming, and the world doesn’t know it yet.

The African Creators Summit represented a turning point for the expanding digital ecosystem in Lagos. The convener of the event was Apollo Endeavor Limited, a company headed by Oladapo Adewunmi that currently represents 300+ of Nigeria’s top content Creators.

You may have never heard of them, but content creators reign over legions of social media followers. Mark Angel has 39M followers across platforms; Lasisi Elenu and Josh2Funny each have 9.2M, and Kiekie has 7.7M, for example. The #AfricanCreatorsSummit—one full day of panels attended by 1,000 creators and a VIP dinner for 150 guests—was free and fully funded by Apollo Endeavor.

Hundreds of creators in Nigeria get paid more than $100,000 per year. A few of them, like Mark Angel, make millions from the content they create online. This means that the Nigerian Creator Economy is already a multi-million dollar industry, Marie Lora-Mungai reports.

Read more: How To Become A Successful Content Creator

How To Make Money From Content Creation

This money mostly comes from advertisements placed on creators’ video content on their YouTube channels and Facebook. Creators also make money from direct brand deals in terms of brand influence and advertising. Facebook currently limits monetization to a select number of “partner” creators. Monetization is not yet enabled on social media applications like Instagram and WhatsApp, but it’s coming. In fact, TikTok is about to launch its Creator program.

One of the most common ways content creators make money on Instagram is through sponsored posts and collaborations with brands. Brands pay influencers to feature their products or services in posts, stories, or videos. The compensation varies depending on the influencer’s reach, engagement rate, and the specific brand’s budget.

As monetization options expand in the next few months and years, Nigerian creators’ revenue is going to explode. This revenue is made in USD (and not in Naira)—the holy grail.

Also read: Monetizing Content Creation in Nigeria

Creating A Niche In The Content Industry

Creators are multi-talented. They act, they sing, they write, and they teach, all the while being enormously charismatic and entertaining. Their skills are easily transferable to many other creative sub-sectors, such as film, music, and fashion, but also to the education sector. They create jobs. Content creators employ videographers, editors, photographers, stylists, makeup artists, lawyers, accountants, and managers.

The first step in choosing a niche is to identify your passions and interests such as beauty, fashion, lifestyle, technology, education, and entertainment. Your niche should align with your expertise or your willingness to learn and become an authority in that field.

Remember, being a content creator often involves constant research and learning. Choosing a niche that motivates you to keep expanding your knowledge will do you a lot of good. The main goal of a content creator is to build a loyal audience and engage with them through their content, often to monetize their work through sponsorships, ads, or other revenue streams.

In a market where disposable income is very low and global streamers are struggling to gain subscribers, content creators have found the gold mine: a business model that works.

They create highly entertaining content that is available to very large audiences for free, with ad inventory and delivery managed automatically by the best advertising companies in the world (Google and Meta).

At the event, one creator asked this question: “What do we need to do for people to take us seriously?” The answer is: Show them the numbers.

Moyin Arowolo

Moyinoluwa Arowolo studied Communication and Media Studies at Ajayi Crowther University. Before joining Arbiterz, she worked at radio and television stations such as Unilag FM and Trybe TV. She has experience in radio production, television production, digital marketing, and social media management.

Recent Posts

Chika Ike Denies Senator Ned Nwoko as Father of Her Unborn Child

Nollywood actress Chika Ike has publicly addressed and dismissed rumors circulating on social media regarding… Read More

19 minutes ago

NLC Protests Mass Layoffs at IBEDC, Demands Worker Reinstatement

On Tuesday, the Oyo State branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) staged a significant… Read More

43 minutes ago

Why Is PMS Consumption Rising in Nigeria Despite Subsidy Removal and Rising Inflation Rates?

Data from NMDPRA shows that the 2024 daily average consumption of PMS continued to rise,… Read More

2 hours ago

Explainer: Nigeria’s CPI Rebasing: Methodology, Significance, and Key Findings

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a critical economic measure that tracks changes in household… Read More

3 hours ago

The Harsh Reality of Nollywood: Halima Abubakar’s Plea and the Industry’s Financial Struggles

The recent emotional plea by Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar for financial assistance has once again… Read More

3 hours ago

NERC Introduces New Penalties for Meter Tampering Offenders in Nigeria

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has rolled out new, penalties for individuals and businesses… Read More

4 hours ago