Lagos-based strategic communications and events consultancy, AT3 Resources hosted an interactive session at AfricaNXT on Tuesday, 7th February.
The session, themed “The Creator Economy: What Next After Social Media?” hosted industry experts, tech creators, and digital specialists, to a discussion on optimisation of technology to create prosperity whilst highlighting the numerous opportunities for creators to develop alternate sources of income. The lineup of panelists during the session included; Oluwasola Obagbemi, Corporate Communications Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta; Frank iTom, Creative Director, Frank Itom Creatives; Chinwe Egwin, Chief Economist, Coronation Merchant Bank and Oluwatobi Ayeni (Miss Techy), Tech Creator.
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Moderating the session, Tosin Adefeko, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AT3 Resources, said, “Before the advent of the creator economy, many of today’s creators would have been unemployed; creators for many years just engaged in their passions; now people can unlock their creative potential and give it value. As the country seeks to diversify its economy away from the dependency on oil revenues, we are simply excited to be able to bring this conversation to the frontburner at AfricaNXT 2023”.
Speaking during the session, Chinwe Egwin, Chief Economist, Coronation Merchant Bank noted that the creator economy is an evolving concept that will assist to boost job creation in Nigeria and if properly harnessed will likely compete with the oil industry. “The creator economy is borderless and creators need to seize the opportunities out there to promote their craft. However, to avail themselves of the opportunities, creators must ensure that they build the right structures required for their business to thrive.”
Commenting on how creators can stay ahead of the trends that will continue to shape the creator ecosystem, Frank iTom, Creative Director, Frank iTom Creatives stated that, “Creators need to explore new tools, carve a niche that sets them apart and remain consistent in their craft”. Oluwatobi Ayeni (Miss Techy), Tech Creator, also buttressed by saying that, “As a matter of fact, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to contribute significantly to the creator economy by helping creators create, edit and distribute content online. The possibilities are endless and looking at what the future holds, there will be an increase in competition and strict regulations, so the best time to start creating is now”.
Highlighting the myriad of opportunities that abound for potential and existing creators across Africa, Oluwasola Obagbemi, Corporate Communications Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta, said “The digital space is constantly changing and as such content creators must also evolve. The Metaverse is one platform that creators can explore to create amazing content and it opens doors to several opportunities for creators to learn and collaborate. Also, Meta has created resources that will enable creators to improve and monetise their content online.
AfricaNXT 2023, themed “Cooperate. Collaborate. Innovate. Unlocking Our Potential, Ensuring Africa’s Prosperity” is currently in its 11th edition. This year’s conference brings together tech enthusiasts, founders, startups, entrepreneurs, policymakers and a broad range of industry stakeholders to engage in a solution-focused dialogue to chart the path for a sustainable Africa.
