Addressing the Challenges Facing Africa's Digital Creative Sector

A recent presentation at Africa Games Week explored the obstacles hindering the creative industries pipeline in Africa, based on a study led by Dr. Tegan Bristow from the Wits University School of Arts. The research focused on the role of intermediaries in the digital creative sector, including animation and games, and identified key gaps in the pipeline. Intermediaries were defined as individuals and organizations that facilitate the production, development, distribution, and monetization of creative work, enabling the African digital creative industry to scale up. The study aimed to assess the health of Africa's digital infrastructure by interviewing 166 professionals from the creative industries in 2022. The findings revealed that the entire value chain in Africa is not well-developed, with a significant lack of digital infrastructure support and limited connectivity for monetization and distribution. Five major threats to the ecosystem were identified, including a value chain heavily biased towards production roles, leaving pre-production and distribution underdeveloped. Approximately 50% of the interviewees held content production roles, while many were also responsible for other tasks such as sales, marketing, and distribution. The research also found that most companies in the production chain are small, with 47% of respondents working in companies with fewer than ten employees, and only 55% operating as registered companies. Furthermore, the study highlighted a lack of established infrastructure and funding to support games production and distribution, as well as a shortage of skilled professionals to fill key roles. The absence of formal education and training programs was also noted, with only 12% of respondents associated with formal education. Instead, many organizations are providing in-house training, which can be insufficient. Another significant threat is the lack of understanding and capacity to meet the specific digital needs of the value chain in different sectors, particularly in animation. The final threat identified was the lack of government support for digital creative industries, with 74% of respondents receiving no government support. Despite these challenges, the research emphasizes that the growing demand for digital creative content presents an opportunity to invest in other crucial parts of the value chain. The study also highlights the presence of African multinationals operating across regions, which can enhance regional market access. Ultimately, the research suggests that while there are significant obstacles to overcome, there are also opportunities for growth and development in Africa's digital creative sector.