Digital growth is reshaping Africa's entertainment and media (E&M) industry, and Kenya is one of its standout stories.
PwC's Africa Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026–2030, released on October 13, 2026, looks at South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.
It finds that the three markets are entering the next phase from very different starting points.
Three Markets, Three Growth Paths
South Africa remains the largest and most mature market. Its E&M revenue is forecast to rise from US$16.6bn in 2025 to US$19.4bn by 2030, a 3.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Nigeria is the fastest growing of the three, at a 6.9% CAGR to US$5.3bn. Kenya is forecast to grow at 5.0% a year, reaching US$6.0bn by 2030.
The Outlook stresses that there is no single growth model for the continent, as maturity, connectivity, affordability and consumer behaviour all shape the opportunities.
Kenya Tops the World in Internet Advertising
Kenya is forecast to be the world's fastest-growing internet advertising market.
Revenue is projected to rise from US$313m in 2025 to US$603m in 2030, a 14.0% CAGR, almost double the global rate of 7.2%.
Video is a major driver. Video internet advertising is forecast to grow at 18.2% a year, supported by social media platforms and connected TVs.
PwC Kenya's Michael Mugasa says the country shows what happens when strong connectivity, high digital engagement and a mobile-first economy come together.
He adds that the next stage is converting that participation into value, with the winners being businesses that understand their audiences, use data responsibly and demonstrate meaningful outcomes.
Streaming Grows, but TV Holds On
Kenya's over-the-top (OTT) video market is forecast to grow at 15.9% a year, making it one of the world's three fastest-growing, against 6.1% globally.
Only Nigeria, at 20.4%, grows faster. South Africa's OTT market is forecast to grow at 7.6%.
Traditional television is not disappearing everywhere. It is declining in South Africa, but in Kenya and Nigeria it continues to grow, though more slowly than OTT.
Affordability leaves room for expansion too. Average annual OTT revenue per subscription in Kenya is forecast at US$54 by 2030, well below the global figure of more than US$100.
Faster Networks and Mobile Gaming
Connectivity underpins all of this. By 2030, 5G subscription penetration is forecast to reach 51.6% in Kenya, compared with 86.8% in South Africa and 35.3% in Nigeria.
Fixed broadband is also growing faster than mobile across the three markets, strengthening the base for streaming, gaming and connected television.
All three markets are forecast to outpace global gaming growth of 3.6%. Nigeria leads at 8.5%, followed by Kenya at 5.8% and South Africa at 4.3%.
Human Connection and AI
The report argues that technology is not replacing live and shared experiences. Digital platforms help audiences discover music, cinema and sport, and they can extend the reach of those experiences.
South Africa's local artists made up 70% of its ten most-streamed artists in 2025, and local films took almost half of Nigeria's box office revenue.
Artificial intelligence could help African stories travel further through translation, subtitling, localisation and better discovery tools. PwC's Charles Stuart says lasting value will come from understanding the people behind these connections. The Outlook adds that AI must be built on trust, with attention to rights, attribution, privacy, data governance and human oversight.
The Road Ahead
The Outlook describes the future of African E&M as a story of convergence rather than traditional versus digital, or local versus global.
The organisations best placed to benefit will be those that use technology to strengthen human connection and data to build trust. They will also lean on the creativity and diversity that make Africa's markets unique.
