Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa, a 32-year-old South African content creator, gained 100,000 TikTok followers in three days after posting a viral video explaining tensions between South African and Rwandan presidents and speculating on regional military roles in a hypothetical war. The video marked her transition from marketing and restaurant work to becoming a full-time "professional yapper and current affairs enthusiast," part of a growing cohort of African social media creators reshaping how young people consume news. According to the 2025 Digital News Report by the Reuters Institute, 61% of social media users in Nigeria paid attention to news creators, followed by 58% in Kenya and 39% in South Africa, placing all three nations ahead of much of northern Europe and Japan in engagement with online news influencers. Jaxa, who holds degrees in philosophy, politics and economics, and international relations, sources her content from traditional media, describing herself as a translator rather than a replacement for established journalism. She began creating political explainer videos after an argument with her younger brother about his decision not to vote, which she found alarming given his generation's role as future leaders. In Kenya, Valerie Keter started making history content after posting a reaction video to the South African series Shaka iLembe, praising its accuracy and production quality. Her audience quickly asked for more stories about pre-colonial African kingdoms, prompting her to produce a series of videos uncovering buried histories across the continent. Sisanda Nkoala, an associate professor at the University of the Western Cape, noted that news consumption in South Africa has shifted from communal radio and TV viewing to individualized online experiences, raising concerns about deepening the digital divide—21% of households had no internet access in the 2022 census, many in rural areas. A 4 May report by the Media Council of Kenya found that most Kenyans now rely on social media for news, driven by the country's young population and high social media penetration.
Jaxa built her influence by repackaging traditional news for disengaged youth, yet depends entirely on the institutions she operates outside of. Nigeria's 61% engagement with news creators suggests a collapse of trust in mainstream media among young audiences. When internet access remains out of reach for millions in rural Africa, this shift risks excluding the most vulnerable from civic discourse. The rise of digital explainers reflects not innovation, but the failure to make official media accessible and relevant.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
