Nigerian content creators have emerged as the dominant force among Africa’s biggest live streamers in 2026, highlighting the country’s expanding influence in the continent’s digital entertainment economy.
Data compiled from Twitch and Kick rankings indicate that Nigerian streamers occupy the majority of positions in Africa’s top 10 list, driven by high audience engagement, celebrity collaborations and the early embrace of live streaming as a viable career path.
The rise reflects a broader shift in Africa’s streaming ecosystem, where live broadcasting has grown from a niche gaming activity into a rapidly expanding, multi-million-dollar industry. Although South Africa initially led the continent’s streaming scene, momentum has increasingly shifted to West Africa—particularly Nigeria—following global attention generated by visits from international streaming stars such as Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed.
The 2026 rankings are based on combined followership across Twitch and Kick, offering a clearer measure of sustained influence rather than short-term virality. While Twitch remains dominant across West and Southern Africa, Kick has gained significant traction among emerging creators due to its creator-friendly incentives and monetisation structure.
Nigeria’s representation in the elite group includes Carter Efe, Shank Comics, Enzo (Rynenzo), Peller, Ojo and Lord Lamba, forming the largest national bloc among Africa’s top streamers.
Carter Efe leads Nigerian creators with more than 560,000 followers, making him the most-followed Africa-based streamer on Twitch. His mix of street culture, celebrity interviews and interactive variety content has helped connect African pop culture with global streaming audiences.
Shank Comics, one of Nigeria’s earliest streaming pioneers, remains a major influence after becoming the first Nigerian to surpass 100,000 Twitch followers. His participation in Kai Cenat’s Streamer University and a $10,000 prize from MrBeast further boosted his international profile and strengthened Nigeria’s standing in the global streaming space.
Gaming-focused streamer Enzo represents a new generation of Nigerian creators, steadily growing his audience through consistency and technical skill. Peller’s early adoption of Kick and his appointment as the platform’s first Nigerian brand ambassador also illustrate how strategic platform choices are reshaping Africa’s streaming landscape.
Despite Nigeria’s strong showing, Morocco’s Ilyas El Maliki currently holds the continent’s top spot, while South Africa and Egypt maintain representation through established creators in the top 10.
Africa’s Biggest Streamers in 2026 (So Far):
Ilyas El Maliki (Morocco) – 847,000+ followers
Carter Efe (Nigeria) – 560,000+ followers
Shank Comics (Nigeria) – 258,000+ followers
Enzo (Nigeria) – 204,000+ followers
Peller (Nigeria) – 183,000+ followers
Rachel Kay (South Africa) – 144,000+ followers
Ojo (Nigeria) – 66,000+ followers
Salma Hassan (Egypt) – 64,000+ followers
Lord Lamba (Nigeria) – 39,000+ followers
AliasV (South Africa) – 34,000+ followers
Advertisement
