By Monsurat Abisoye
Nigeria’s creator economy has grown to more than 250,000 active influencers and content creators, reflecting the rapid rise of digital entrepreneurship and a shift in brand marketing strategies.
According to a mid-year outlook on media, communications and experiences for the second half of 2026, brands are increasingly moving away from traditional reach-based advertising towards performance-driven marketing, creator partnerships and integrated communication strategies focused on measurable business results.
The report estimated that influencer marketing across Africa will record a compound annual growth rate of 8.65 per cent between 2025 and 2029, driven by rising investment in digital communities and creator-led storytelling.
It also noted that micro and niche influencers are becoming more valuable to brands than larger accounts because they consistently achieve higher engagement rates of between four and six per cent across digital platforms. As a result, companies are replacing one-off influencer campaigns with long-term partnerships aimed at boosting conversions, customer acquisition and sustained audience engagement.
The report added that short-form video platforms continue to dominate among younger audiences in Nigeria, enabling independent creators to generate income through brand collaborations, social commerce and platform monetisation.
It further revealed that digital news traffic in Nigeria declined by 26.2 per cent in 2025 as more consumers turned to AI-assisted search tools and social media platforms for summarised content instead of traditional long-form news articles.
To adapt to changing audience behaviour, brands are expanding their presence across creators, events and culture-driven campaigns centred on music, entertainment and lifestyle. The report added that events are increasingly serving as content distribution channels and marketing platforms, helping brands strengthen audience engagement in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape.