Spotify has announced the Africa Podcast Fund, with the goal of supporting podcasters and further amplifying their stories.
The $100,000 fund, administered by Africa Podfest, a Kenyan-based company, aims to bolster the careers of these podcast creators through financial grants, workshops, and networking opportunities, in line with the global streamer’s commitment to bolstering the careers of African creators through on- and off-platform support programs.
The Africa Podcast Fund is available to select creators from African countries with the highest podcast listenership, namely South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana, and is recorded in a variety of languages, including Pidgin, English, French, Sheng, Ga, and Twi. The grant also includes a Cameroonian podcast with a large audience in France as well as Francophone African countries like Cote d’Ivoire.
The 13 independent emerging podcasters or podcasts with growing audiences: Audrey Ngako, Si Maman M’avait Dit (Cameroon); Joseph Nti, Sincerely Accra (Ghana); Joan, Kibz, Nyamita and Owen, The Sandwich Podcast (Kenya); Murugi Munyi and Lydia Mukami, The Messy Inbetween (Kenya); Eli Mwenda and Oscar Koome, Mantalk.ke (Kenya); Kevin Mwachiro, Nipe Story (Kenya); Feyikemi Abudu and Jola Ayeye, I Said What I Said (Nigeria); Taymesan, Tea With Tay (Nigeria); Feyikemi Akin-Bankole and Simi Badiru, F&S Uncensored (Nigeria); Gugulethu Nyatsumba, After School Is After School with Sis G.U (South Africa); Vusumzi Ngxande, The Journey Kwantu (South Africa); Mpoomy Ledwaba, Wisdom & Wellness with Mpoomy Ledwaba (South Africa); and Lesego Tlhabi, Convos & Cocktails with Lesego Tlhabi (South Africa), were selected as recipients for the fund for showcasing a range of voices in terms of varying podcast formats, gender, language and content.
According to Spotify, it is through initiatives such as these that its goal of further platforming African creators on a global scale can be realized.