Iroko on Friday 9 September, 2016 in Lagos, announced it is launching a Multi-Platform Network [MPN] to provide a framework and platform for aspiring African stars of the future.
Iroko X, Africa’s only full-service, cross-media MPN, is set to become the go-to platform for Africa’s digital content creators, enabling them to produce, distribute and monetize new and original short-form content (3-5min content).
Using the company’s in-house production, editing and distribution expertise, the IrokoX team will provide a suite of services, including but not limited to; content production & promotion, programming and branded sponsorship campaigns to connect brands with powerful influencers across all entertainment industries, existing media channel management and global content distribution.
Last year alone, Iroko paid out $550k (N220m) to its content partners and has already generated over 5.5 billion minutes viewed and over 1.5 billion views, through its existing distribution deals with platforms including Vimeo, Spotify, Deezer, iTunes, Google Play, Vevo, Pandora, Dailymotion, Eskimi and Vodacom. The company is also YouTube’s largest content partner in Sub Saharan Africa, with a subscriber base of 1.9m, thanks to its Nollywood channels and partnerships with Afrobeats stars such as Flavour and PSquare. In a bid to become the largest Africa-focused influencer network, IrokoX will continue to be a music and content distribution platform for established producers, as well as become a standalone division of the Lagos-headquartered content distributor, studio and broadcaster,
General Manager of IrokoX Oluchi Enuha, says:
“Creation. Distribution. Monetization; this is what IrokoX is setting out to provide for our continent’s creative pioneers, in order to capture and lead the fast-paced social media and online video market for the continent. Africa is brimming with creative talent, much of which is stifled by poor access to production facilities, or poor understanding of how to monetize content. With IrokoX’s considerable expertise in these areas, we are ideally positioned to support and develop thousands of amazing African and Africa-inspired content creators.
“We are now on the search for creative and influential personalities across all social media channels, who want to share their passions and talents online and scale their video views to an audience in its millions”.
Increasingly, global consumer brands are looking to connect with Africa’s youth population (which is expected to grow to 321m by 2030), who are part of a mobile-first, consumer savvy generation driving the growth of modern African retail. The new Africa-focussed MPN will be a key gateway for consumer brands to connect with audiences in exciting, innovative ways, via the influencers aggregated as part of the IrokoX network.
Enuha concludes:
“Africans are consuming more digital content, predominantly via mobile, than ever before, yet here has been little to no interest in developing niche un-formulaic content from the African market for a global audience. IrokoX is marrying awesome content with professional production techniques, to build out an African MPN that can stand side-to-side with those in the West. We believe that the next Pewdiepie can be from Africa and we are using our resources and networks to make that a reality”.