Six years after its debut in Africa, Netflix has just, at the same time as presenting its new roadmap for the next few years, published an instructive report on its socio-economic impact on the African continent. Building on the success of shows or series such as the South African series Blood and Water, the online video streaming giant claimed to have invested the equivalent of 160 million euros in the production of cinematic content in the three countries where it has established itself, namely South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. "Expanding our business here is good for Netflix," the company said in the brand new report, which focuses on its three target markets.
Netflix claims to have created more than 12,000 jobs in the three countries, and generated $218 million in GDP revenue in South Africa alone. "It's a start, we plan to reach more countries on the continent," Shola Sanni, Netflix's policy director for sub-Saharan Africa, said at a press conference in Johannesburg.
Currently, South Africa is the site's largest African contributor, with over 170 films, series and documentaries. In 2020, Blood and Water, a series centered on a teenager from Cape Town who investigates her sister who was abducted at birth, had even placed first in the United States. Other productions such as Silverton Siege (South African), Aníkúlápó (Nigerian) and Disconnect: The Wedding Planner (Kenyan) have also all made it into Netflix's global top 10 lists. "We will build on these milestones to grow our business, while continuing to invest to support local creative economies and give more and more African storytellers an amplified voice on the global stage," the company promises.
Proof that South Africa is becoming the leading country for Netflix, the streaming giant has made its biggest investment there, both in terms of scale and budget, with the adventure series One Piece. , an adaptation of the famous Japanese manga.
A poster for Netflix's
In recent years, Netflix has banked on diversifying its production outside the United States, achieving big scores with series such as Spanish La casa de papel and South Korean dystopian drama Squid Game, winner of the Golden Globes. .
In 2021, the company partnered with Unesco to finance six short films by young African directors. "It's time for renowned platforms to realize the richness and value of our stories," one of these winners, South African filmmaker Gcobisa Yako, told AFP on Wednesday on the sidelines of the press conference. With this in mind, Netflix also invests in building the capacity of industry players, through training programs, and dedicated scholarships, in particular, through the Netflix Creative Equity Fund, endowed with one million dollars.
