Digital content created in Africa can play a significant role in bringing people closer together and helping them discover the variety of cultures across the continent, Amujae Leader Farida Bedwei told an audience recently.

Her remarks were made during a panel discussion on the critical role played by authentic African stories in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) during the Africa Tech Festival 2021 – the largest tech event in Africa. 4IR has come to define the progress being made by building on the achievements of the digital revolution, and the fusion of various technologies, including artificial intelligence and nanotechnology.

Asked by the discussion moderator Broadcast Journalist, Nneamaka Nwadei, about the possibilities of creating better connections between audiences and the available digital content, Ms. Bedwei stressed the importance of understanding the target audiences, and adapting the systems and digital media platforms for optimum reach.

Using the example of her own creative work, the comic series “Karmzah” featuring a superheroine with cerebral palsy, Ms. Bedwei said that reaching out, not only to children with disabilities but also to their relatives and their communities, enabled the content to spread widely:

“When you are creating content, you have to look at the whole ecosystem, or the whole community around your target audience, and see how you can make it accessible and affordable for them.”

Ms. Bedwei also discussed “the Nollywood effect,” and the lessons that other countries can learn from the success of the booming film industry in Nigeria. She argued that African countries should dig into their industries to find what makes them stand out, and offer “something unique,” as well as content that consumers can relate to.

 “If you are just like everybody else, why should your content be consumed?” she added.

Watch the full panel discussion with Ms. Bedwei, Olu Olutola, Regional Connectivity and Digital Advisor at USAID, and Alex Okosi, Managing Director EMEA Emerging Markets here.

Note: registration required to watch.