YouTube celebrates Africa Month, affirms commitments to creators, music industry in Africa

YouTube has announced a series of events to run throughout the month of May in celebration of Africa month.

The events are intended to reaffirm the platform’s commitment to growing Africa’s creator ecosystem, to spotlight, and celebrate artistes and creatives who are driving the growth of Afrobeats and Africa’s music industry.

Content creators in Africa will receive support from YouTube through virtual and in-person training and workshops to help them grow their channels and improve their skills. These include a Creator 360 virtual workshop, which will allow African content creators to collaborate and share skills, and in-person Creator Day workshops, which will be led by industry experts and help aspiring creators learn the skills they need to continue thriving on YouTube.

YouTube will also offer workshops under its Future Insiders Programme to empower budding producers and songwriters with hands-on training taught by seasoned producers such as Sarz and Musa Keys.

Recently, the YouTube NextUp program, which focuses on providing access to learning through one-on-one coaching, workshops and resources was launched to amplify the growth of many successful creators across the region.

YouTube continues to provide a platform for African creators who are dedicated to building audiences across the globe, while also building a business and generating revenue.

The YouTube Africa Day Concert, in partnership with Idris Elba, will return for the third year in a row as part of the Africa Month lineup. The concert will include an in-person event in Nigeria that will be live-streamed on YouTube, featuring some of the continent’s hottest artists. The concert will once again commemorate Africa Day by using music as a platform to showcase African culture.

Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA, Alex Okosi said: “We’re incredibly proud at YouTube to provide a platform that shares Africa’s creativity with the rest of the world. From music, fashion, and beauty to the latest trending movements, YouTube plays an important role in the emergence and expression of Africa’s unique cultural stories to local and global audiences. By commemorating Africa Month through these impactful initiatives, we continue to spotlight, and elevate the work of creators and artists who are at the forefront of the continent’s creative explosion.”

YouTube’s longstanding commitment to the creator industry in Africa is evident in initiatives such as the #YouTubeBlackVoices Funds and the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100 million fund designed to reward creators who make creative and unique Shorts for their contributions.

Earlier this year, 26 creators from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa were among 135 creators from around the world who participated in the 2022 edition of #YouTubeBlack voices creator class. The creators receive seed funding alongside dedicated support to help them develop their channels and thrive on the YouTube platform.