At the Marketing Edge National Marketing Stakeholders’ Summit, Sam Onyemelukwe, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Trace Group, delivered a compelling session on the future of Africa’s creative economy.

Speaking on the topic “New Creator Value: A Reassessment of the Traditional Creative Industry,” he drew a vivid line from our Tales by Moonlight tradition to today’s global platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. According to him, while technology has transformed how people consume entertainment, the essence has never shifted. Stories, music, and fashion remain the heartbeat of culture.

“If content is good, people will watch it, listen to it, or dance to it. That hasn’t changed in 500 years,” he noted. “What has changed is how we deliver it and how people pay for it.”

He explained how user-generated content has forced traditional broadcasters to rethink their models, as short-form videos and viral challenges now command mass attention. Importantly, he praised African audiences for their ingenuity, pointing to what he called a “sachet economy,” where consumers show willingness to pay “small-small” for consistent, high-quality experiences.

Read also

Moving forward, Onyemelukwe urged the ecosystem to stay authentic while embracing technology. He encouraged creators to use AI and digital platforms to meet audiences where they are, while adapting monetisation models to local market realities.

With more than 25 years in entertainment across Africa and beyond, including leadership roles at Disney, Universal Records, and TRACE, he offered both historical insight and a roadmap for the future. He argued that Africa’s rich heritage, when combined with the growing influence of digital creators, makes the continent a frontier for new creator value.

“We are not destitute, we are powerful,” he reminded the audience. “Our job as executives is to remove obstacles so creators can focus on their art. The rest is about how we deliver it and how people pay for it.”

As Nigeria’s marketing communication industry grapples with the explosion of digital content, Onyemelukwe’s call was clear. The industry must harness the creativity of this new generation without losing sight of the timeless roots of storytelling, music, and shared human experience.

See Also: Dr. Abiodun Shobanjo @ The Edge Awards 2025