YouTube invites Nigerian artists, creators to apply for its $100m Black Voices Fund

Charles Abuede

YouTube today reported that content specialists and artists from Nigeria can apply for awards from its Black Voices Fund. The global $100 million reserve will, throughout the following three years, offer help to Black artists and creators with the goal that they can prosper with YouTube.

YouTube, in an announcement on Thursday, said intrigued Nigerian artists and creators can apply for financing.

Alex Okosi, managing director, emerging markets, YouTube EMEA, said the Black Voices Fund, will invest with the aim to “present fresh narratives that emphasise the intellectual power, authenticity, dignity and joy of Black voices, as well as to educate audiences about racial justice”.

As indicated by Okosi, this year, the reserve will zero in its endeavours on makers inside the US, Brazil and Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

“Our goal is to expand funding to more countries over the course of the next three years. Additionally, we hope to provide a consistent drumbeat of educational training, workshops, and community events to Black creators and artists globally.”

He added that the YouTube Black Voices Fund is important for the work in progress to guarantee that YouTube is where Black content specialists, artists and consumers can share their stories and be protected.

According to Okosi, “Along with our commitment to amplifying marginalised voices on the content side, we are also investing in product and policy changes that will continue to advance YouTube’s mission of giving everyone a voice and showing them the world,” Okosi said.

He said YouTube accepts that it is just by standing firm against the individuals who might attempt to bully, disturb, silence and threaten others that it really draws nearer to accomplishing this mission.

Similarly, YouTube’s new efforts incorporate ramping up enforcement and putting an end to more accounts that repeatedly post disdainful remarks. It is also in the process of turning out product changes to allow the moderation tools of creators more smoothed out or streamlined.

The $100 million fund was first announced in June, and has since been formally named the YouTube Black Voices Fund.