Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the official launch of Zaumu — a digital platform built to reshape how content creators and brands collaborate, starting from Kenya but clearly designed for a broader Pan-African future.

The event, hosted in Nairobi, featured a keynote address by Cedric Nzomo, Zaumu’s Co-Founder, that went far beyond the usual launch talking points. Instead, Cedric delivered what he described as an open letter to creators — a powerful, candid reflection on the challenges creators continue to face and why Zaumu’s arrival could mark an important turning point.

The Persistent Struggle of Being a Creator

Cedric began by recounting his own journey as a creator. In 2006, he ran one of the world’s most popular Hip Hop blogs, publishing daily and achieving significant global impact. Yet, over two years, his total earnings were less than US$1,000.

Brands were reluctant to pay cash. Instead, creators were offered “exposure,” “access,” or sales-based commissions — promises that rarely translated into real income. Contracts often ended up costing creators more than they earned. Even as platforms like YouTube and Instagram exploded, the fundamental problem remained: creators have always been seen as an expendable resource rather than valuable partners.

Today, two decades later, that reality still largely holds true.

Despite a proliferation of new platforms, better internet access, and a booming digital culture across Africa, the creator economy remains structurally unfair. Brands, agencies, and platforms continue to extract far more value than they give back.

As Cedric put it, “First, for us, is not a sales gimmick. It’s been our mission for over 20 years.”

What Makes Zaumu Different?

At first glance, Zaumu might appear to be another creator marketplace — a space that’s becoming increasingly crowded both locally and globally. However, Zaumu’s critical difference lies in its creator-first DNA.

Zaumu, which means “for the people” in Kiswahili, has been purpose-built to reframe how creators engage with brands:

• Transparent Job Listings: Brands post jobs with clearly stated budgets accessible to all accredited creators.
• Milestone-Based Secure Payments: Brands deposit payments on the platform before work begins; funds are released based on achieved milestones.
• Contracts That Protect Creators: No more hidden clauses that demand perpetual image or content rights without fair compensation.
• Direct Communication with Brands: Encrypted, end-to-end chats allow creators to negotiate terms, scope, and deliverables directly.
• Automated Reporting: Performance data is gathered and shared automatically, eliminating the tedious screenshot-based reporting many creators are used to.
• Accountability via Reviews: Brands and creators review each other, creating a transparent, reputation-based ecosystem.

Zaumu also integrates AI-driven features — from creator-brand matchmaking to performance analytics — ensuring that campaign management is both efficient and data-driven, a stark contrast to the largely manual, sentiment-driven processes common today.

The Harsh Realities the Metrics Reveal

Cedric’s keynote made it clear that Africa’s creators are operating in an ecosystem that remains heavily skewed against them:

• According to Statista, Kenya’s estimated influencer marketing spend in 2024 was $2.5 million (approximately Kshs 320 million).
• By comparison, billboard advertising alone generated over Kshs 55 billion in the same period.
• To put this in perspective, Cedric highlighted that the 200 billboards between Waiyaki Way and Nairobi CBD alone made more revenue in 2024 than all the content creators across all digital platforms in Kenya combined.

This is a staggering reality as the people driving online culture, trends, and brand influence receive a fraction of what traditional media channels like outdoor advertising command — despite the fact that:

• 50% (or more) of purchasing decisions among Millennials and Gen Z are influenced by creators.
• Despite influencing these crucial demographics, creators capture less than 10% of marketing budgets available in Kenya.
• Cedric also pointed out that only 1 out of every 10 proposals submitted by creators today converts into an actual paid engagement.

This mismatch — between the impact creators have and the budgets allocated to them — is at the very heart of the structural problem Zaumu seeks to address.

The Real Test: Can Zaumu Bridge the Gap?

While Zaumu’s philosophy and technical approach are spot-on, the platform’s ultimate success will depend on two pivotal factors:

1. Creator Adoption and Opportunity: Will content creators, influencers, KOLs, and storytellers actually find meaningful paid opportunities after signing up?
If the platform lacks active, high-quality campaigns, it risks becoming another ghost town in the crowded marketplace ecosystem.

2. Brand and Agency Buy-In: Will brands and agencies — who control the marketing spend — be willing to shift from the manual, opaque, often relationship-based engagement models they are used to?
Many brands already have established processes, preferred agencies, or even internal platforms they trust. Zaumu will need to clearly demonstrate that it can deliver greater transparency, efficiency, and measurable results to win them over.

This is where Zaumu’s real opportunity lies as by professionalizing the creator-brand relationship through clear workflows, enforceable contracts, milestone payments, and performance reporting, it could unlock massive latent value — for creators and brands alike.

A Platform — But Also A Movement

Zaumu is not just another app or marketplace launch. It’s a call to rethink how Africa’s fast-growing digital economy values its creators.

Cedric’s closing remarks were telling: “This is not a launch. This is a long game. Our success is tied directly to your success. We only get paid when you get paid.”

Zaumu’s model aligns incentives between the platform and the people it’s built for — a refreshing contrast to traditional platforms that often prioritize brand spend over creator wellbeing.

By putting creators truly at the centre, Zaumu could very well disrupt how campaigns are executed in Kenya and across Africa — and possibly set a new global standard for how African creators should be treated.

Final Thoughts

Zaumu’s launch could not have come at a better time.

Kenya’s and Africa’s creative economy is growing exponentially, but without structural support, too much of that potential risks being siphoned off by intermediaries and legacy models. If Zaumu can deliver meaningful jobs, safeguard creators’ rights, and provide brands with efficient, transparent campaign results, it has every chance to become a transformative force.

The early signs are promising. The vision is bold. But like all great platforms, the proof will be in real-world traction, adoption, and outcomes over the next 12 to 24 months.

If you’re a creator looking to get paid fairly for your work, or a brand looking to engage real audiences authentically and transparently — Zaumu is worth serious consideration.

Visit www.zaumu.com and see for yourself.

Listen to the Full Keynote Podcast:

I recorded Cedric Nzomo’s full keynote at the Zaumu launch. It’s a raw, honest reflection on why the future needs to be different — and how we can start building it: