Africa's growing global visibility in fashion, music, film and other creative fields must be matched with long-term investment in talent development, industry experts have said.
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Although African creatives are gaining international attention through social media, festivals and streaming platforms, many still struggle to turn recognition into sustainable careers due to weak support systems, according to Orun, a pan-African organisation dedicated to structuring cultural and creative industries.
The organisation notes that, while talent across the continent is widely celebrated, it is often not supported with structured training, mentorship, access to markets and long-term funding. As a result, many creators face short-lived success and limited growth.
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"Visibility is not the same as viability," Orun says, arguing that exposure alone cannot build strong creative industries without proper structures in place
Industry leaders say the lack of coordinated ecosystems means creative success often depends on individual effort rather than shared infrastructure. This, they argue, leads to lost value and stalled careers, even as global interest in African creativity continues to rise.
One initiative seeking to address this gap is We Champion Talent, a pan-African programme led by Orun in partnership with 1xBet, which has been designed not as a visibility operation but as a flagship framework aimed at addressing systemic gaps in the creative ecosystem.
By combining talent support, access to opportunities, cultural diplomacy and structured media engagement within a single architecture, the initiative focuses on long-term talent support, access to opportunities and structured media engagement, rather than one-off showcases, according to the organisers.
Khalidou Guissé, the Country Manager of 1xBet in Senegal, said that investing in creative ecosystems is both a responsibility and a strategic decision.
"African creativity does not lack ambition or excellence," Guissé said. "What is often missing are the structures that allow talent to grow over time. Investing in creative ecosystems is about responsibility, but it is also about recognising where future value will come from."
Experts argue that well-structured creative industries can play a major role in job creation, especially for young people. They note that cultural sectors globally employ millions and could offer similar opportunities in Africa if properly developed.
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The experts agree that Africa's creative future will depend not just on global attention, but on building strong systems that allow creators to grow, earn and retain value locally.
About Orun
Led by Africa Currency Network (ACN) and a member of the Kigali International Financial Centre, Orun is a pan-African organisation dedicated to structuring cultural and creative industries (CCIs) as drivers of sustainable development, cultural sovereignty, and soft power for the African continent.
As a strategic lever for Africa economies, Orun is part of a dynamic aimed at transforming local economies by elevating African talents and craftsmanship. At the intersection of creation, design, craftsmanship, and transmission, Orun turns craft, narratives, and talents into lasting cultural, economic, and symbolic assets, capable of generating value locally while engaging with strategic stakeholders and international scenes.
