Description

Stephen Watson from Discover Digital delivered a compelling presentation titled “Streaming On The Rise: Where Are You, Africa?” at the Broadcasters Convention – Southern Africa 2025 in Victoria Falls. He highlighted the rapid global growth of streaming driven by mobile adoption and on-demand consumption, while noting that many African markets are lagging due to infrastructure gaps, high costs, and regulatory fragmentation.

Watson emphasised the enormous opportunities for local content creation, mobile-first strategies, cross-border streaming, and strategic partnerships with telcos and OTT platforms. He stressed that by investing in connectivity, prioritising African content and localisation, and adopting innovative subscription and advertising models, broadcasters and streaming services can unlock significant revenue potential. Africa, he concluded, stands at a pivotal moment in the streaming revolution, and proactive strategies today will determine who leads the market tomorrow.

Some key points from the resource include:

● Streaming growth: Global adoption is accelerating, driven by mobile, OTT platforms, and on-demand consumption.
● Africa’s position: Despite rising demand, many African markets lag in infrastructure, affordability, and content localisation.
● Challenges: Limited broadband penetration, inconsistent connectivity, high costs, and regulatory fragmentation.
● Opportunities: Local content creation, mobile-first strategies, cross-border streaming, and partnerships with telcos and OTT platforms.
● Revenue potential: Subscription models, advertising, and hybrid OTT offerings can monetise African audiences effectively.