Africa’s creative economy is worth an estimated US$60 billion, yet the continent captures only a fraction of global creative royalties. At ACEL 2026 in Gaborone, the conversation moved beyond celebrating talent to confronting the infrastructure, money and ownership gaps holding creatives back.
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
Africa has the music, the films, the fashion and the stories. What it needs is a better business plan.
That was the underlying message at Africa Creative Economy Lens (ACEL) 2026, where creatives, policymakers and industry players gathered at the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub to tackle an uncomfortable question: why is a continent overflowing with creative talent still struggling to capture its full economic value?
Rita Ngenzi of the Africa Creatives Alliance put the numbers into perspective. Africa’s creative economy is valued at approximately US$60 billion, with projections of US$200 billion by 2030. Yet the continent holds less than three percent of the global creative economy and earns just 0.6 percent of global creative royalties.
“The talent is here. The value is ours to capture,” she said.
WHO OWNS THE MONEY?
Botswana’s challenge is not simply producing more artists. It is building an ecosystem in which creators can turn ideas into sustainable businesses without surrendering the value of their work.
Kabo Phetlu, chief executive officer of the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub, argued that intellectual property ownership, financing and market access must become central to the conversation.
“We create value here, but too often, the ownership, financing and monetisation of that value happen elsewhere,” he said.
The discussion stretched into the digital economy, where platforms can connect African creators to global audiences while leaving them dependent on systems they do not own. Digital rights, creator payments and export opportunities emerged as critical battlegrounds.
Fashion entrepreneur Mboko Basiami, founder of Pan-African brand Glotto, shared insights into navigating digital exports to reach Brazilian markets, illustrating both the possibilities and the complexities of selling African creativity abroad.
LESS TALK, MORE INFRASTRUCTURE
The Film and Audiovisual breakout group, facilitated by Women in Film Guild co-founder Nikita Neo Mokgware, explored practical interventions, including a dedicated Film Commission, accessible short-term insurance to support international market entry, and stronger legal and financial support for intellectual property commercialisation.
The Ministry of Sport and Arts representative Tebogo Matebesi challenged stakeholders to stop waiting for Botswana’s talent to fulfil its potential on its own.
“The world has not yet seen what Botswana’s creative talent can deliver,” he said.
Across two days, ACEL’s workshops examined how skills, production, investment, rights protection and distribution must work together to build viable creative industries.
The conference closed with a renewed commitment to turn discussions into action. The real test, however, begins after the delegates leave: whether institutions can deliver the funding, policies and partnerships creatives need to earn from their work.
Africa does not need another reminder that it is talented. It needs systems that make talent pay.
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