Twenty-six African YouTube creators have been selected to join a global cohort of 135 from around the world, in the flagship #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund initiative.
10 Nigerians are among the selected Africans.
The fund focuses on investing in Black creators from around the world who are telling fresh and authentic stories.
This is the second class of African creators in the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, which is established as a multi-year commitment aimed at nurturing Black creators and artists on YouTube.
In 2021, the inaugural year, the program welcomed 133 grantees from Australia, Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and United States, with plans to invest directly in over 500 innovators and artists globally to fulfil its objective.
Youtube channels of the 10 Nigerians who made the list of Africans selected for the #YouTubeBlack Voices Creator Class of 2022 are: Adaeze’s Space created by Adaeze Jideonwo; Chinyere Abang created by Chinyere Nneka Abang; Data Pepple created by Data Willie-Pepple; Fisayo Fosudo created by Oluwafisayo Fosudo; fummeee created by Ikede Adebisi Oluwafunmilayo; Hn clothings created by Chima Chikodinaka Perpetua; Skybelle created by Nwamaka Joy Izugbara; Steven Ndukwu created by Ndukwu Stephen Anthony; TNC Africa by Olawale Adetula and Ummeeta Rabiu created by Halima Yusuf Rabiu. Others are four Kenyans and 12 South Africans.
While the group of creators from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa comes from varied professional, social and academic backgrounds, one common thread connects them all, which is the desire to make a difference in their communities and Africa through relatable and insightful contents.
As part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund Class of 2022, each of the 26 African YouTubers selected will receive seed funding alongside dedicated support to help them develop their channels. They will also take part in bespoke and hands-on training, workshops and networking programmes.
The Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Alex Okosi, expressed excitement over working with an ‘outstanding group of young and talented African creators’ who understand that content that resonates with their audience is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
