Nigerian creators account for the majority of Africa’s biggest live streamers in 2026, underscoring the country’s growing influence in the continent’s digital entertainment economy.
Data from Twitch and Kick show that Nigerian streamers occupy most positions in Africa’s top 10, driven by strong audience engagement, celebrity collaborations, and early adoption of live streaming as a mainstream career path.
The surge comes amid a broader transformation of Africa’s streaming ecosystem, where live broadcasting has evolved from a niche gaming activity into a fast-growing, multi-million-dollar industry. While South Africa initially led the continent’s streaming scene, momentum has shifted decisively toward West Africa—particularly Nigeria—following heightened global attention sparked by visits from international streaming stars such as Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed.
In 2026, rankings of Africa’s top streamers are anchored on combined followership across Twitch and Kick, reflecting shifting platform dynamics across the continent. Twitch continues to dominate in West and Southern Africa, while Kick has gained significant traction, especially among emerging creators, due to its creator-friendly incentives. The combined metric provides a clearer picture of sustained influence, prioritising committed audiences over short-term social media virality.
Nigeria is represented by creators including Carter Efe, Shank Comics, Enzo (Rynenzo), Peller, Ojo, and Lord Lamba, collectively forming the largest national bloc among Africa’s elite streamers.
Carter Efe leads Nigerian creators with over 560,000 followers, making him the most-followed Africa-based streamer on Twitch. His blend of street culture, celebrity interviews, and interactive variety content has helped bridge African pop culture with global streaming audiences.
Veteran creator Shank Comics remains one of the country’s most influential figures, having been the first Nigerian to surpass 100,000 followers on Twitch. His participation in Kai Cenat’s Streamer University and a $10,000 prize from MrBeast accelerated his international recognition and reinforced Nigeria’s credibility within the global streaming space.
Gaming-focused streamer Enzo represents a newer generation of Nigerian creators, building his audience through consistency and technical excellence rather than viral moments. Meanwhile, Peller’s early commitment to Kick and his role as the platform’s first Nigerian brand ambassador highlight how strategic platform choices have reshaped Africa’s streaming landscape.
Despite Nigeria’s dominance, the continent’s top spot belongs to Ilyas El Maliki of Morocco, while South Africa and Egypt maintain a presence 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