Introduction

by Hadassah Egbedi

In 2019, Ventures Africa launched BizHive, a digital magazine series that addresses innovative industry trends in Nigeria and on the continent. Since then, different issues of BizHive have addressed recycling, agro-innovation, and the Nigerian tech landscape. This year, we are looking at the rising appeal of Nigeria’s pop culture.

At the beginning of the year, David Adeleke, the Publisher of Communiqué, predicted that the global cultural impact and demand for Nigerian content and creators would balloon. He was right. Nigerian musicians are global pop phenomena. Nollywood has caught the attention of streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. And there is a growing interest from the private sector to finance African stories, thanks to the record-breaking success of Editi Effiong’s The Black Book.

As the world connects through new media, Nigerian content creators stand out as pioneering innovators and cultural beacons. These storytellers wield the influence of digital media to educate, entertain, inspire, and elevate Nigeria’s global cultural impact to unprecedented heights. Welcome to the new wave of Nigeria’s soft power.

The Big Screen

Afrobeats

Content Mavericks

Visual Storytellers

Through visual arts, cinematic videography, and storytelling, audiences travel into these creators’ minds and around the world.

Comedy and Satire

To most people, humour is a passtime pill. But to these creators, humour is currency.

Podcasters and Commentators

They say talk is cheap, and advice from strangers is a gamble. But these creatives have built empires doing both.

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Emerging Stars

Emerging stars of the silver screen

A new generation of talent is emerging in Nollywood. These actors are capturing the essence of storytelling through their powerful performances, and are poised to make a lasting impact in the film industry.

Podcasts

Chioma Ude shares insights on the business of the Nigerian movie industry and the advancements that led to its increased global appeal.
Ijeoma Onah discusses the intricacies of marketing and exporting Nollywood content globally.

Something Extra

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Mikolo: Can Nollywood tap into the big business of family cinema in Nigeria?

Not many Nigerian films are rated G or PG. The G-rated or PG-rated symbol is often a voluntary gesture by filmmakers ...

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African entertainment is booming globally. But at what cost?

The story of Afrobeats began in the 1960s when the legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti created a new genre ...

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Nollywood streaming wars: Can local streamers survive the streaming giants?

The Nigerian film industry has long grappled with distribution challenges. For years, filmmakers were either losing 82 billion ...

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Who is leading innovation in Africa’s entertainment scene?

The African entertainment scene is rapidly evolving, thanks to a number of innovative platforms that are changing the ...