Prioritise indigenous platforms for monetisation, says Macra DG

Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) director general Daudi Suleman has encouraged creatives to prioritise indigenous platforms for local content monetisation instead of relying solely on big tech platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

He made the remarks in Lilongwe during a meeting with representatives from the creative sector, on how to effectively monetise their content on global digital platforms.

In his presentation, Suleman highlighted challenges affecting the local creative industry’s ability to benefit from platforms like YouTube and Facebook, including low Internet connectivity and widespread digital illiteracy.

These factors, he said, limit Malawi’s eligibility for direct monetisation opportunities offered by big tech companies.

“Our discussions with YouTube and Facebook are ongoing, but progress has been slow due to some of these challenges. Malawi currently does not meet the criteria for direct monetisation on these platforms and there are many factors,” he said

He, however, said while global platforms can help creatives grow their audience, the focus should be on leveraging these platforms to drive traffic to locally developed monetisation solutions.

“We shouldn’t lose hope, but there is a lot that needs to be done before we start reaping direct form big tech. While we wait for bigger opportunities, let’s make use of existing platforms to monetize content locally,” he said.

Suleman also noted that the absence of local advertisers remains a hurdle as advertising revenue is a key driver of monetisation on digital platforms.

Another key thing during the presentation was that the country’s low Internet penetration and the prevalence of basic smartphones, which register as the most used phones, restrict users’ ability to engage fully with advanced features required for content monetisation on major platforms.

Approximately 700 000 Malawians are active on Facebook. However, the limited functionality of commonly used devices impedes effective engagement

 with content.

In terms of data consumption patterns, in February data shows that the average data usage per user was around 1GB and that the low consumption rate indicates limited online activity, which is also deterrent for platforms considering monetization partnerships in the region and that there is need for consumption to increase.

However, Suleman assured creatives that Macra is doing all it can to help get rid of some of the existing challenges.

Special Adviser to the President on Creative Industries, Q Malewezi, commended Macra for the insights stressing that the issue requires a multi-sectoral approach suggesting that future discussions should include representatives from various industries to ensure a unified strategy.

“This has been an insightful discussion, and we propose that future engagements bring together stakeholders from different sectors. That way, we can define roles and work collectively towards one solution,” he said.

One of the creatives present at the meeting, Kelvin Before Gumbi ‘KBG’ said the session was needed as it challenged them to create content that demands value within the market and start thinking of alternatives that can help them monitise content.

“We have put to task to start looking for other options locally that can help us be able to monetize our content. It has been a very beneficial engagement the presentation has provided us information we were unaware of but that is important,” he said.