*DIGITAL SLAVERY OR DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY?
WHY WEST AFRICANS MUST RETHINK TIKTOK**
By Voice of Africa Online
The Exploitation of African Creativity
For years, the streets of Accra, Kumasi, and Lagos have doubled as the world’s most vibrant digital film sets. From high-energy dance challenges to razor-sharp comedy skits, West African creators have become the invisible engine powering global TikTok culture.
Yet behind the millions of likes, shares, and viral moments lies an uncomfortable truth:
TikTok’s Creator Fund does not speak Ghanaian.
As of 2026, TikTok’s direct monetization programs — including the Creator Rewards Program — remain locked behind geographical barriers, serving primarily users in the United States, the United Kingdom, and parts of Europe. For creators in Ghana and much of West Africa, this raises a fundamental question of fairness:
If you cannot monetize your sweat, why are you building their empire?
The Value Gap: Who Really Profits?
When a Ghanaian creator uploads a video that goes viral, TikTok wins — every time.
The platform keeps users scrolling longer, harvests valuable behavioral data, and serves ads to global audiences. Meanwhile, the creator whose content fuels this engagement earns zero dollars in direct revenue.
In any other industry, this arrangement would be called exploitation.
In the digital economy, it is casually rebranded as content creation.
West African creators are effectively providing free labor to a multi-billion-dollar tech company while local economies receive none of the dividends.
Why “Influence” Is Not Enough
Defenders of TikTok often point to exposure, brand deals, and visibility. While these benefits exist, they only meaningfully reward the top one percent.
The average creator cannot pay rent with exposure.
- The Payout Barrier: Even when creators earn virtual “Gifts” during live sessions, converting those diamonds into real cedis involves complex processes, third-party platforms, and steep fees.
- The Algorithm Trap: Creators are pushed to chase global trends instead of producing content that solves local problems, strengthens local businesses, or builds long-term value within African communities.
The result is cultural output without economic ownership.
The Alternatives: Where the Money Actually Lives
If TikTok will not pay West African creators, then creators must redirect their value elsewhere.
- YouTube Shorts & Long-Form Content
YouTube remains the gold standard for creator monetization. With the YouTube Partner Program available in Ghana, creators can earn real ad revenue in dollars, paid directly into local bank accounts. - Local Monetization Hubs
Platforms like Selar and Blurbay empower creators to sell digital products, courses, and exclusive content directly to their audience using Mobile Money (MoMo). - Africa-Owned Platforms
A new generation of Africa-first apps is emerging, prioritizing local engagement, ownership, and sustainable monetization over empty global vanity metrics.
The Verdict: Time to Pivot
West African creators must stop thinking like users and start thinking like owners.
If a platform refuses to open its wallet to our region, then we should refuse to give it our best work. TikTok can be useful — but only as a billboard, not a home.
The message to the youth of West Africa is clear:
Build your audience where visibility is high, but move your value to platforms that pay you.