Kenya leads the continent as the world’s fastest-growing internet advertising market, while Nigeria is the fastest-growing streaming video market, according to the Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2026–2030 released in Johannesburg. The report forecasts revenue for South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria to 2030, painting a picture of three distinct markets with different starting points and speeds.
South Africa stays the biggest and most advanced market in the region. According to PwC, total entertainment and media earnings there will rise from $16.6 billion (R301.8 billion) in 2025 to $19.4 billion (R352.4 billion) by 2030, implying a CAGR of 3.2 %. Kenya’s market is projected to expand at 5.0 % per year, moving from $4.7 billion to $6.0 billion. Nigeria shows the quickest pace, with an annual increase of 6.9 %, taking revenue from $3.8 billion up to $5.3 billion.
The biggest share of income in all three countries comes from connectivity. PwC expects that, by 2030, mobile and fixed-line services will represent roughly 60 % of South Africa’s total, about 66 % in Nigeria and close to three-quarters (75 %) in Kenya.
Kenya’s digital advertising boom
Kenya’s online advertising earnings are set to almost double, climbing from $313 million in 2025 to $603 million in 2030. This 14.0 % CAGR makes the nation marginally faster than India, placing it at the top of global growth. Advertising on video – delivered through social platforms and connected televisions – is expanding even more rapidly, at an annual rate of 18.2 %.
“Kenya demonstrates the potential that emerges when strong connectivity, high digital engagement, and a mobile-first economy come together. The next stage is about converting that participation into value,” Michael Mugasa, entertainment and media partner at PwC Kenya, said.
South Africa continues to lead the internet advertising sector, with expectations of reaching $3.1 billion (R55.7 billion) in 2030. In Nigeria, that segment should rise from $279 million to $439 million, and retail-focused paid search is projected to surpass traditional paid search by 2028.
Streaming and local content
Revenue from over-the-top (OTT) video streaming is predicted to increase by 20.4 % annually in Nigeria, the quickest pace worldwide, and by 15.9 % in Kenya. Although the base figures are modest, PwC anticipates OTT income of roughly $78 million in Nigeria and $31 million in Kenya by the end of 2030.
In South Africa, OTT services are expected to grow at 7.6 % per year while conventional television revenues decline from $1.9 billion (R34.7 billion) to $1.6 billion (R28.8 billion). Conversely, in Kenya and Nigeria, traditional TV figures keep rising alongside streaming, following MultiChoice’s plan to discontinue Showmax as a standalone platform on 30 April 2026.
Pricing also matters. PwC estimates that the average yearly OTT spend per subscriber will be $76 in South Africa, $54 in Kenya and $42 in Nigeria in 2030, compared with a global average that exceeds $100.
5G uptake is projected to hit 86.8 % in South Africa, 51.6 % in Kenya and 35.3 % in Nigeria, with fixed-line broadband expanding faster than mobile in each market. All three economies are expected to outstrip the worldwide video-games growth rate of 3.6 % annually. Nigeria leads at 8.5 %, moving from $286 million to $431 million, and its 2025 gaming revenue is 77 % from social and casual titles. Kenya follows with 5.8 % growth and South Africa at 4.3 %.
Nigeria’s cinema revenue is projected to nearly triple, from $10 million to $29 million, a 22.8% CAGR, with local films taking almost half of the 2025 box office. In South Africa, music, radio, and podcasts grew from R8.0 billion to R10.6 billion, and local artists made up 70% of the 10 most-streamed artists in 2025.
