Broadcasting
How Brands Should Leverage Digital Marketing to Capture Africa’s Future Customers
By Ebun Ikenze, Client Relations Director, Ad Dynamo by Aleph
Unless they cater specifically to an older niche, most brands want to grab the attention of young people. That makes sense too. Young people are tastemakers and the guardians of what’s cool and what isn’t. And, if you grab their attention while they’re still young, there’s a good chance they’ll stay loyal for a very long time. It is no wonder, then, that so many brands are showing an interest in Africa.
As other major population centres age out and face stagnant (or even decreasing) birth rates, Africa remains home to a young and growing population. In fact, as of 2022, around 40% of the population was aged 15 years and younger. Its overall population, meanwhile, currently sits at around 1.4 billion and is expected to grow to 2.5 billion people by 2050. And by 2030, young Africans are expected to constitute 42% of global youth.
But attracting all those young people to your brand is more complex than launching it and hoping they’ll come. You also have to market it actively. And the best way of doing so is through targeted, relevant messages on the digital platforms that most young Africans spend the majority of their time on.
Connected, savvy, and cool
That focus on digital platforms might seem strange given that overall levels of internet access in Africa (currently at 43%) remain below the global average (66%), but internet connectivity is growing rapidly across Africa. Thanks to the increasing number of undersea cables linking African countries with each other and the rest of the world, connectivity has become faster, more ubiquitous, and more affordable. That impact can be seen in the fact that, by 2022, the continent had more than doubled the number of internet users it had in 2015.
Internet traffic has grown too. In fact, between 2018 and 2022, Africa saw the most rapid growth in international internet bandwidth. While global average bandwidth growth during that period was 28%, Africa saw 44% growth in the same period. Young people are a major driving force behind that growth in internet adoption and traffic. While not an exact proxy for internet connectivity, it’s illuminating that in 2019, sub-Saharan Africa was expected to add more than 160 million mobile subscribers by 2025, driven primarily by the youth population.
With those improvements in connectivity come increased levels of consumer savviness. That means that consumers increasingly want the same kinds of brand experiences as their counterparts in other countries and will actively seek out those experiences.
Being where they are
Therefore, brands must do everything they can to be where those young people are when they’re seeking out those experiences.
That means those brands must have presences on major digital platforms, including those owned by Meta (Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram), as well as on the likes of Snap and Spotify. It’s also telling how invested those platforms are in the continent. Spotify, for example, views Africa as crucial to its ambitions of doubling its global user base by 2030.
They clearly see the potential in Africa’s young and increasingly connected population, so shouldn’t you too?
Partner with the experts
Of course, as much as those platforms have made it as easy as possible to advertise on them, brands can’t simply launch a campaign and hope for the best. They should instead partner with experts who can help ensure that their campaigns are as effective as possible.
Such a partner will have expertise in each of the most important platforms as well as extensive experience in the markets your brand is trying to break into. That on-the-ground knowledge in particular should never be underestimated. It can be the difference between a successful campaign and a total flop.
The right partner will also help you deliver creative excellence at a transparent price, maximising the impact of your digital campaigns.
Embracing Africa’s big digital shifts
There is no doubt that Africa is undergoing massive shifts and that its growing, youthful population represents a massive opportunity for the brands willing to take advantage of it. And if they’re to take advantage of that opportunity, they also need to ride the continent’s growing levels of connectivity. Crucially, they shouldn’t do it alone and should instead partner with people who understand both the continent and the most relevant online platforms used across it.
The brands that get that right stand to see serious and lasting gains.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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