Digital growth accelerates across Africa’s entertainment and media markets as human connection remains key

Digital growth is reshaping Africa’s entertainment and media (E&M) industry, creating new ways for audiences to discover, experience and engage with content, while human connection remains at the heart of the industry’s future. PwC’s Africa Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026–2030 shows South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria entering this next phase from different starting points, as stronger connectivity, growing digital audiences and changing consumer behaviour reshape where value is created.

Rather than pointing to a single growth model for Africa, the Outlook highlights how differences in market maturity, connectivity, affordability and consumer behaviour are shaping the opportunities available to E&M businesses.

“Across these different growth stories, one thing is becoming clear: technology is creating more ways for audiences to connect, but lasting value will come from understanding the people behind those connections. Compelling content, creativity, culture and shared experiences remain at the heart of our industry. As AI and other technologies transform how entertainment and media are created, distributed and monetised, the opportunity for all of us is to embrace that innovation while keeping people and meaningful connection at the centre,” says Charles Stuart, Africa Entertainment and Media Leader, PwC.

Key report highlights

• South Africa remains the largest and most mature of the three markets, with E&M revenue forecast to grow from US$16.6bn (R301.8bn) in 2025 to US$19.4bn (R352.4bn) by 2030, representing a 3.2% CAGR
• Nigeria is the fastest-growing of the three markets, with total E&M revenue forecast to grow at a 6.9% CAGR through 2030 to US$5.3bn.
• Kenya’s E&M market is forecast to grow at a 5.0% CAGR, reaching US$6.0bn by 2030

Africa’s E&M markets make their mark globally

• Nigeria is the world’s fastest-growing OTT market, with revenue forecast to grow at a 20.4% CAGR through 2030. Kenya, at 15.9%, is also among the world’s top three fastest-growing OTT markets, compared with global growth of 6.1%
• Kenya is the world’s fastest-growing internet advertising market, with revenue forecast to grow at a 14.0% CAGR, almost double the global rate of 7.2%
• South Africa leads the world in forecast live music growth, with revenue expected to grow at a 5.7% CAGR, compared with 2.1% globally
• All three African markets are forecast to outpace global video gaming growth, led by Nigeria at 8.5%, followed by Kenya at 5.8% and South Africa at 4.3%, compared with 3.6% globally

Connectivity activates the audience

Connectivity remains at the heart of Africa’s E&M story. Mobile and fixed services provide the infrastructure on which streaming, gaming, digital advertising and other digital experiences depend.

But the opportunity is increasingly about more than simply getting people connected. The quality, reliability and affordability of those connections will influence how quickly audiences embrace richer and more data-intensive experiences. As connectivity improves, the opportunity is also shifting towards how effectively businesses can turn greater digital participation into meaningful engagement and sustainable value.

By 2030, 5G subscription penetration is forecast to reach 86.8% in South Africa, 51.6% in Kenya and 35.3% in Nigeria. At the same time, fixed broadband is growing faster than mobile services across the three markets, strengthening the foundations for streaming, gaming, connected television and other data-intensive services.

“Africa’s E&M industry is entering an exciting new phase, but there is no single growth story across the continent. What connects them is the expanding digital audience. As connectivity becomes faster, more reliable and more accessible, the opportunity is increasingly about how businesses use this growing connectivity to reach new consumers, expand their E&M offerings and unlock new revenue opportunities,” says Nana Madikane, Africa Technology, Media and Telecommunications Industry Leader, PwC.

Digital advertising turns connection into commercial value

As Africa’s connected audience grows, advertising is becoming an increasingly important way of translating digital participation into commercial value.

Internet advertising is forecast to grow across all three markets, but again the trajectory differs. South Africa remains the largest market by value, while Kenya records the strongest growth. Kenya’s internet advertising revenue is forecast to rise from US$313m in 2025 to US$603m in 2030, representing a 14.0% CAGR.

The nature of digital advertising growth is also changing. In Kenya, video internet advertising is forecast to grow at 18.2% CAGR, supported by social media platforms and connected TVs. In Nigeria, retail paid search is projected to grow at 17.2% CAGR and overtake traditional paid search in size by 2028