adverts
MWC 25: Collaborate to Create Unified Pipeline to Power Africa’s Content – Wi-Flix CEO
Co-founder and CEO of Wi-Flix, Louis Manu, has issued a rallying call for Africa’s creative and digital industries to work together — urging creators, policymakers, platform owners, and investors to build a consistent pipeline for content creation and distribution that drives economic growth across the continent.
Speaking at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Kigali, he said Africa’s storytelling power must evolve from mere entertainment into a cornerstone of its economic transformation.
Delivering a passionate address at the MWC25 in Kigali on Tuesday, Louis Manu painted a bold picture of Africa’s content economy as a “sleeping giant” poised to fuel the next wave of continental prosperity.
adverts
He argued that content — whether in music, film, or digital media — has evolved beyond cultural expression into a key driver of national GDP and job creation.
“We are no longer going to look at content as something that is just entertainment anymore,” Manu said. “We’re looking at content that brings revenue and affects the economic change of countries where it is created.”
Citing data-driven insights, Manu noted that global content industries, from Microsoft’s entertainment ecosystems to digital advertising, are projected to generate over $51 billion, with Africa’s share expected to double within a few years — creating millions of jobs and expanding the continent’s digital footprint.
But this opportunity, he cautioned, cannot be realised without addressing critical challenges around monetisation, infrastructure, intellectual property (IP) protection, and equitable distribution.
“If you create content in Lagos, can you send it across global platforms and earn what you deserve?” he asked. “Monetisation must work for our filmmakers, distributors, and young creators.”
Manu described Wi-Flix’s journey as a model for how African enterprises can empower creators through technology, partnerships, and fair compensation.
“At Wi-Flix, we set our vision to ensure that African stories deserve the global stage,” he said. “We started by making content affordable, accessible, and truly mobile—because in Africa, the mobile phone is not just a device; it is the cinema, the TV, and the classroom.”
Through partnerships with major telecom operators such as MTN, Orange, and Safaricom, Wi-Flix now serves over four million customers across Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. The company recently launched on Prime Video UK, enabling African creators to reach a global audience of over 290 million viewers, and also secured a major distribution deal with Foxhole (formerly Whalebox), extending reach to 74 million devices worldwide.
Wi-Flix has also signed over 200 content partners across Africa, paying creators monthly — a pioneering business model that ensures consistent earnings for emerging filmmakers and storytellers.
“We’re not just a platform; we’re a partner,” Manu said. “We invest in content, attract investors to local productions, and serve as a gateway—bringing African content to the world and global content to Africa.”
Manu outlined three pillars to propel Africa’s digital content future — collaboration, innovation, and empowerment.
“We must collaborate with creators, policymakers, platform owners, and investors to create a consistent pipeline from scriptwriting to monetisation,” he urged. “We also need innovation — harnessing AI, blockchain, and virtual reality not to replace our creators, but to empower them.”
He emphasised that Africa must stop treating advertising and storytelling as niche activities and instead position its narratives as universal — rooted in local authenticity but globally relevant.
“Our stories are not fiction; they are human. They are the stories of Kumasi, Lagos, Nairobi, and Accra — real stories that the world needs to see,” he said.
Concluding his address, Manu reminded the global tech and media community that Africa’s time on the world stage has come — not through charity, but through curiosity and excellence.
“Content is no longer king or queen — it is everything in between,” he declared. “The world must be able to wake up tomorrow, open any screen, and see African content right there—because the world is watching, and Africa must lead.”
Click the link Puretvonline.com | WhatsApp Channel to join the WhatsApp channel
GOT A STORY?
Contact/WhatsApp: +233243201960 or manuelnkansah33@gmail.com
