As Africa's creator economy continues to grow, global platforms are being challenged to rethink how they operate on the continent. Venelize de Lange from media update speaks to Canva's Marketing Lead for Africa about the thinking behind its regional approach.
Africa's creative economy is expanding rapidly, driven by a young population with a growing demand for locally resonant content. For global platforms operating in this region, success will depend on cultural understanding, long-term investment and tools for real-world conditions.
In this Q&A, Bianca Sibiya, Canva's Marketing Lead for Africa, speaks about how this platform is approaching Africa with intention: from how it engages creators and communities, to how accessibility and localisation are shaping its role in the continent's evolving digital economy.
Part one of this two-part series explores the foundations behind Canva's strategy in Africa and what it means for creators navigating opportunities and growth, as well as how they battle constraints in the industry.
You speak about culture and creativity as foundational to Canva's mission in Africa. How does cultural fluency shape the way you approach marketing strategy and creator engagement across Africa?
Cultural fluency is foundational to how we show up in Africa. The continent's creativity is deeply rooted in community, language and lived experience. So, our approach is guided by listening first and building with creators, not just for them.
Local insight shapes everything – from the templates we design to the partners we choose – because content resonates most when people see their culture reflected authentically.
Across Africa, creators are incredibly resourceful and mobile-first, and we prioritise tools and storytelling that match how they work every day. Cultural fluency helps us create marketing that feels relevant, respectful and genuinely empowering.
Canva's expansion includes localisation like mobile-first pricing and language support. How do you see these tailored approaches helping South African creators grow economically and creatively?
Localisation removes barriers that have historically held creators back. Mobile-first pricing, local languages and tools built for slower networks make high-quality design more accessible, allowing creators to work, learn and earn from their phones.
This directly supports economic growth — helping freelancers look professional from day one, small businesses build stronger brands and side-hustlers turn skills into income. Creatively, these tailored features give Africans the freedom to experiment, tell their stories confidently and compete on a global stage.
By meeting creators where they are, we're helping unlock opportunities that scale both creativity and livelihoods.
Africa is the world's youngest continent. What opportunities does this demographic present for local content creators and entrepreneurs today?
Much of Africa is made up of digital natives who are quick to learn, eager to create and deeply mobile-first. Plus, with a median age of around 19 years, the African region is remarkably young and dynamic.
That's why we focus on keeping Canva fun, intuitive and easy to explore, from simple drag-and-drop features to rich learning content and tutorials. This also extends into education, where our platform is helping students turn visual creativity into real, lasting skills.
For young freelancers, the opportunity is also vast. A tech-savvy generation is fueling demand for digital content across social platforms like YouTube and TikTok — and Canva helps them meet that demand, whether they're designing for clients or growing their own brands.
What are the biggest barriers facing African creators, and what practical strategies can freelancers adopt to overcome them?
Access and affordability remain key challenges for many creators across Africa, from high data costs to limited connectivity. At Canva, accessibility has always been central to our mission. Our platform is free to use, making high-quality design tools available to anyone with internet access.
Our mobile capabilities help creators keep working even with patchy internet, while our growing library of free templates, tutorials and resources supports continuous learning.
By combining intuitive tech with affordability, we're empowering creators across Africa to design, share and grow their businesses — no matter where they are or what tools they have.
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*Image courtesy of contributor and Canva