LIVE FROM MWC KIGALI 2025: A string of experts explained Africa is no longer content to just consume content, with efforts underway to promote local creation, monetisation, access and distribution within the continent and beyond.

MTN Group GM of digital services, marketing and strategy Rolivhuwa Maluma (pictured, second from left); Canal+ Rwanda CEO Sophie Sandra Tchatchoua (pictured, second from right); and Louis Manu, CEO and co-founder of streaming and video on demand company Wi-flix (pictured, far right) argued Africa now holds its own in terms of creating content, meaning attention is now turning to matters spanning connectivity, production and circulation.

For all three, the message is very much about engaging with local creators and helping them foster relationships at home and abroad to develop and distribute their output.

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Maluma said it is time to make use of the networks MTN has created across the region, a move he believes the operator group can only achieve by engaging with content creators, platform providers and investors.

“We believe there is a big opportunity that we can unlock as Africans for Africans”.

Tchatchoua agreed, explaining Canal+ is engaged in helping Africans tell their story on domestic and international stages.

The company is focused on building skills and “investing in local production”. Tchatchoua highlighted the scale of Canal+ offers a big platform to showcase African talent in the form of around 70 channels.

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Tchatchoua said Canal+ is creating a media entertainment hub focused on programming, but also seeking to give Africa a stronger voice globally.

Maluma sees potential for content to fuel uptake of mobile internet services, explaining MTN believes a primary role is putting TV and video in the hands of its customers.

The operator also has an eye on localising gaming content and on music, the “soul of the continent”, Maluma said.

Collaboration
The role of the operator goes beyond connectivity alone. Maluma said MTN is building an ecosystem of creators, investing in local productions, and liaising with platform providers and investors. These collaborations are key to promoting African content across borders and internationally, he argued.

Manu believes the work so far is paying off and turned Africa into “a global content powerhouse”.

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But he noted challenges remain around “monetisation, infrastructure, IP protection and distribution”.

Manu also believes global distribution remains a challenge: “how do we ensure African content reaches every corner of the globe”?

Mobile offers a solid channel in many respects. Manu explained phones are Africans’ cinemas and TVs, and Wi-flix is building relationships with large operators to ensure content is widely distributed across multiple countries.

He said there is a need “to stop seeing African content as niche and start positioning our content as massively universal”.