YouTube celebrates Nigerian content creators in top list as Africa week begins
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Nigerian content creators lead the pecking order in YouTube’s 2021 Top10 list of the top trending music videos, top creators, breakout creators, shorts creators and many others across Africa as the world’s most popular online video community kicks off the second edition of African Creator Week and in celebration of the 2021’s biggest moments on the platform in Nigeria.
The country’s top 10 Nigerian creators on YouTube this year reflect the growing popularity of original content produced by Nigerian creators on the platform with the likes of HouseOfAjebo, official Broda Shaggi, ApataTV+, BakoriTV, Lightweight Entertainment and Mr Macaroni, all dominating this category. This year’s creators’ list consists of channels that share hilarious skits and movies.
The top ten creators in Nigeria in 2021 include HouseOfAjebo, official Broda Shaggi, ApataTV+, BakoriTV, Lightweight Entertainment, Mr Macaroni, Taaooma’s Cabin, Sair Movies, Yorubaplus, BrainJotter Comedian.
For the trending music videos in Nigeria, Chiké and Simi’s ‘Running to you’, Teni’s ‘For You’ featuring Davido, and WizKid’s Essence featuring Tems are the top three trending music videos this year, leading the list of most viewed music videos by Nigerians in 2021 on YouTube. Other top trending videos, according to YouTube, includes WizKid’s Ginger ft. Burna Boy; Davido – The Best ft. Mayorkun; Davido – La La ft. Ckay; Ruger – Bounce; Nathaniel Bassey – Hallelujah Challenge Praise Medley; Chidinma – Jehovah Overdo; Omah Lay – Understand.
According to a statement by YouTube made available to Business A.M., “The selection of the top trending videos on YouTube for 2021 is based on a range of factors, beyond just viewership. For example, YouTube also considers engagement while also looking at signals like shares and likes. YouTube’s 2021 Top Ten lists bring together the biggest videos in Nigeria from creators, personalities and mainstream media with a presence on YouTube.”
In other areas, topping the list of top trending videos in Nigeria is President Kuti, a movie starring Ibrahim Yekini, Bimpe Oyebade and Odunlade Adekola on Yorubaplus. The comedy skit video, Tetracycline and Septrin from HouseOfAjebo ranked second in the country. Yoruba movies, ‘ABEBI’, starring Odunlade Adekola, and ‘Ete’, starring Bolanle Ninalowo were also among the trending videos that got Nigerians clicking “play”. In addition, YouTube Nigeria has also released the top 10 Breakout Creators list and the top 10 Shorts Creator list topped by HouseOfAjebo and SwagBoyQ respectively.
In another development, as YouTube kicks off the African Creator Week to celebrate creators from across the continent, the company is also extending its commitment to nurturing black creators and artists as part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices programme. Also, the company, in a statement, said the week-long programme will highlight a talk from three motivational creators from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa and a masterclass focused on teaching creators how to diversify their revenue streams and increase their income.
Adetutu Laditan, YouTube creator marketing manager, EMEA, said, “Africa is filled with inspiring stories and YouTube is committed to supporting the growth of the continent’s storytellers. The YouTube Africa Creator Week intends to spotlight top African creators who are focused on their YouTube journeys and stirring engaging conversations among content creators in order to drive growth on the continent”,
“YouTube has been a partner to a generation of creators, from around the world, who have turned their creativity into businesses. In Africa, we are working to advance the discovery and development of the next generation of creators. We are focused on investing with an emphasis on connection, inspiration and the celebration of the uniqueness of black African voices”.
Recent YouTube statistics illustrate the significant growth of the creative community across Africa. Nigeria has over 500 channels which boast over 100 thousand subscribers, an increase of over 60 percent from the previous year. In Kenya, over 300 channels have over 100 thousand subscribers – an increase of over 90 percent, year on year; while in South Africa, over 250 channels now have over 100 thousand subscribers – a year-on-year increase of over 60 percent.
Meanwhile, the nine storytellers, from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, who will be featured are Fashion Wizardry (Kenya); Alex Methange (Kenya); Mandi Sarro (Kenya); Miss Techy (Nigeria), Sisi Yemmie (Nigeria); Steve Nduku (Nigeria); Financial Bunny (South Africa); Nozibele Qamngana (South Africa); and Reggie Mohlabi (South Africa).