article · Journalism and Media
TikTok has established itself as a major social media platform, creating opportunities for native content creators to gain prominence. However, research into the economic realities of these creators in emerging markets has remained limited. An examination of twenty-three Nigerian TikTok influencers aged nineteen to twenty-six details the specific approaches used to earn revenue in an environment offering few direct platform payout mechanisms. Creators combine sponsored promotions, brand partnerships, referral schemes, cross-platform visibility, collaborative networks, and account-region bypasses to generate an income. Their work is heavily constrained by systemic hurdles, including unreliable payment infrastructure, platform algorithm dependence, distrust from commercial brands, and relentless demands to maintain visibility. Additionally, creators endure notable emotional and psychological burdens, navigating frequent online harassment, body shaming, and the stress of perpetual self-presentation.
The study highlights how digital creators in emerging economies build livelihoods despite platform exclusions and structural financial barriers. Understanding these realities helps digital platforms, marketing agencies, and financial service providers recognise the operational hurdles, payment vulnerabilities, and mental health pressures faced by young African digital workers navigating the creator economy.
The insights could inform the development of specialised fintech payment solutions, creator management platforms, and digital talent agencies tailored to emerging markets. Potential users include digital finance providers and marketing agencies seeking to bridge regional payment gaps and address brand distrust. However, the abstract represents early-stage exploratory research and does not describe or test a ready commercial product or service.
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Over the last few years, TikTok has become one of the most notable social networking apps, allowing users to upload videos with the possibility of gaining popularity. This has given rise to the emergence of influencers native to the platform. While Global North–focused TikTok studies have empirically examined the media economics of this platform in various capacities, emerging markets have experienced a research dearth in this regard. To understand the strategies they employ to monetize, as well as the challenges they face in generating revenue, this study interviewed 23 Nigerian TikTok influencers between the ages of 19 and 26. We find that Nigerian TikTok influencers rely on a mixture of brand partnerships, sponsored promotions, referral systems, cross-platform visibility, collaborative growth strategies, and account-region bypass to generate income within a platform environment that offers limited direct monetization opportunities to creators. The findings further show that influencer labour in the Nigerian context is shaped by unstable payment systems, algorithmic dependence, brand distrust, and the constant pressure to remain visible and relevant. Beyond economic concerns, the study reveals that creators experience emotional strain arising from online harassment, body shaming, and the psychological demands of continuous self-presentation.
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DOI: 10.3390/journalmedia7030165
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