The creator economy has emerged as a significant force, transforming the way people create, share, and monetize their content online. 

This growing trend has led to a surge in entrepreneurship and job creation, particularly in developing countries in Africa where the youth population is high, and unemployment is a major challenge. 

Even more, increasing numbers of young people are turning to entrepreneurship and creating jobs for themselves and others by leveraging the power of social media, e-commerce, and other digital platforms like Selar to create and distribute their content to a global audience.

In this article, we’ll share statistics and data about the African creator economy and its impact on employment to help you understand the true value of the creator economy.

About the Survey

The African Creator Economy and Future of Work report is a well-detailed report by Selar to evaluate the impact of the creator economy in Africa and assess how digital creators are growing to become employers of labour. 

Selar is an e-commerce platform where creators can sell all kinds of digital products and services. With over 100,000 users, Selar is at the forefront of helping digital creators earn more money by selling their knowledge online. Create your free account and check it out.

In this report, we specifically aimed to investigate the current state of the creator economy in Africa, the challenges and opportunities for digital creators, the role of technology and social media in facilitating the growth of the creator economy, and the impact of digital creators on job creation and economic development in the continent. 

The survey was taken by a sample of over 2000 digital creators in Africa actively creating and sharing their content online. We used the snowball sampling technique to ensure our sample size represents the digital creator community in Africa. The study identified four main groups of creators: Bloggers, YouTubers, Social Media Influencers (SMIs), and Digital Product Creators (DPCs).

You can download the full report with more data points by visiting the African Creator Economy Report landing page. 

Key Findings

• 3 in 5 respondents sell digital products such as e-Books, courses, and training programs.

• Over 1 in 4 digital creators currently have people working with them. This goes as high as around 1 in 3 for Bloggers and YouTubers.

• 36% of YouTubers have hired staff to work with them.

• 35% of Bloggers have hired staff working with them.

• 31% of social media influencers have hired staff working with them.

• 27% of digital product creators have hired staff working with them.

How Long It Takes For Creators to Hire Staff

• Approximately 1 in 5 digital creators hired staff within the first six months of beginning their journey as digital creators. 

• 29.3% of digital creators begin hiring immediately after venturing into the business, while the majority (37.6%) hire staff after 6 months. 17.4% hire staff after a year, 7.5% after two years, and 8.2% after three or more years.

• YouTubers and bloggers had the highest percentage of hiring staff within the first six months of their journeys. This is not surprising, given the nature of these platforms. YouTubers and bloggers often create content on a regular basis, which requires a team to help them with content creation, editing, and promotion. 

The fact that digital creators are hiring staff within the first six months of their journeys also shows that the creator economy is growing rapidly. As more people enter this space, there will be greater demand for skilled professionals who can help creators build their businesses.

Why Creators Outsource Work

Data revealed that creators are increasingly outsourcing work due to a lack of time, as indicated in the table below:

Creators (%)	Reasons for Outsourcing Work
43.6	Not enough time to do all work
36.8	In need of expertise from specialist
1.1	I consider giving back and supporting others to be important
7.8	Many clients/customers to engage
7.3	Grown and I’ve gotten too busy
3.4	Other

• Out of all the creators that had people working for them, 3 out of 5 creators considered hiring a team because they did not have enough time.

• Graphic designers were the highest number of contractors/employees hired by creators, and again, YouTubers are among the highest employers of graphic designers (25%).

• Social media managers were next in line to be hired by creators, and YouTubers were the largest number of people hiring social media managers, with 1 in 5 creators hiring social media managers. This makes sense, considering how time-consuming social media can be.

Products Digital Creators are Selling the Most

One of the key advantages of the creator economy is that it allows creators to be their own bosses and have control over their work. This can be particularly appealing to people who are looking for more flexibility and autonomy in their careers.

The following statistics highlight the many opportunities in the creator economy through which creators can get paid for their knowledge. 

• 37.0% of creators sell ebooks.

• 30.6% of creators sell online courses.

• 24.8% of creators sell online training.

• 7.6% of creators sell other forms of digital content.

SEE: The Best Digital Products to Sell Online

Current Trends in the Creator Economy

The creator economy in Africa is particularly attractive because of the continent’s large and youthful population, which has embraced digital technologies and social media platforms.

This has created a huge market for digital content and has led to the emergence of a vibrant creator economy. 

Here are some statistics that show current trends in the creator economy. 

• 47.7% of creators leverage new platforms and technologies that enable creators to monetize their content and reach a wider audience.

• 19.8% of digital creators monetize their following on social media, collaborating with brands to promote their products and services.

Changes In Job Opportunities and Job Types

• Approximately 24.7% of sample creators currently hire a team of experts to support their work. Of those who do, 19.7% hire professionals in graphics design, 16.2% in social media management, 14.3% in digital marketing, 12.8% in sales, 10.2% in customer support, 10.3% in video editing, 8.1% in video production, and 4.9% in accounting.10.2% of creators outsource customer support services. 

The fact that approximately a quarter of creators currently hire a team of experts indicates that there is a demand for specialized skills in the creator economy. 

This presents an opportunity for individuals with these skills to potentially find employment in Africa’s emerging creator economy, particularly in supporting industries such as graphics design, social media management, and digital marketing.

The African Creator Economy is Here to Stay

The creator economy is transforming the way people work and make a living in the digital age.

These statistics on the impact of the creator economy on entrepreneurship and job creation in Africa explore the trends and potential long-term effects of the creator economy on traditional employment and job security.

It reveals that the creator economy is rapidly growing in Africa, driven by factors such as increased access to digital technologies, growing demand for digital content, and the rise of e-commerce. 

It also explores the various platforms and industries within the creator economy in Africa, including social media, e-commerce marketplaces, and digital media channels.

The best time to be a part of the creator economy is now. 

Start by creating a free Selar account and getting paid for what you know by turning your knowledge into a product.