The Role of Women in Media and Entertainment in Africa

Giving a Paramount Africa Perspective, its Channels Manager, Busola Komolafe, writes on the role of women in media and entertainment in the continent

In recent years, Africa has seen an increase in the number of women present in the media and entertainment industry, with African women finding their voices and pushing the boundaries of representation, from radio and television presenters to film directors, producers, and actresses. 

Women have been increasingly instrumental in shaping every ecosystem within the African continent, particularly the media and entertainment industry. Through their involvement in music, film, fashion, and literature, women have redefined culture and content within the African context. 

Angelique Kidjo, Miriam Makeba, and Yvonne Chaka Chaka, for instance, have been pivotal in shaping Africa’s most popular and pervasive genres, including Afrobeats, Highlife, and Juju. Similarly, female actors such as Lupita Nyong’o and Nollywood stars Adesuwa Etomi-Wellington, and Jemima Osunde have heralded a golden age in modern African Cinema. 

As the media and entertainment industry continues to evolve, the role of women in shaping and contributing to this space has become increasingly significant. Accordingly, Paramount Africa has made remarkable strides in discovering and nurturing budding female talents across the continent. These women have gone on to have a tangible impact not only on media and entertainment in Africa but across other sectors. 

A typical example is Folu Storms — a Nigerian media personality and content creator who hit the spotlight after she won the MTV VJ search in 2012. Folu’s entry into the media industry through the VJ search gave her the opportunity to work with several high-profile media outlets, including MTV Base Africa. 

As a member of The MTV Culture Squad and a bold voice of advocacy, Folu Storms has lent her voice to tackling ageism and reminding young Africans of the need to be vocal in the face of whatever hardship society brings. 

Like Folu, Paramount Africa has helped many other talented entertainers rise to prominence by making their voices heard and becoming advocates of education and development in the industry. 

Through MTV Shuga, for instance, Paramount Africa has not only educated millions of youth on sexual and reproductive healthcare but has also accorded Nollywood sweethearts like Jemima Osunde a step stool into the limelight. 

MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation, under which MTV Shuga is broadcast, also has several women in its governing body who are determined to bring awareness and representation to the youth populace of Africa regardless of gender. Stephanie Ndlovu is the Foundation’s co-chair, while Anita Aiyudu Adesiyan is the country manager for Nigeria.

 Under their leadership, MTV Shuga has become a social movement that has tackled the challenge of curbing the HIV/AIDS endemic and opening up opportunities to the next generation of women in entertainment. 

However, despite their contributions, women in the African media and entertainment industry have been plagued by numerous challenges. A recent report by the United Nations found that women in the creative industries in Africa face various forms of discrimination, including pay inequality and sexual harassment.

 In addition, there is a lack of female representation in key decision-making positions, with men occupying most of the top positions in media and entertainment companies. 

The need for more female representation in decision-making positions is a challenge that needs to be tackled head-on. This means that women’s voices and perspectives should be included in the development and execution of media and entertainment projects. 

This lack of diversity can result in projects that do not reflect the diversity of African society, unlike what obtains in Paramount Africa, where women shine like stars on the talent list and occupy strategic leadership positions.  

Promoting gender equality in Africa’s media and entertainment industry could be the decision that exponentially grows the sector to global standards. Therefore, it is important to take concrete steps towards ensuring it. 

One crucial imperative is to develop policies that promote gender diversity and encourage companies to hire more talented women in senior positions. Stakeholders in the industry can also offer specialised mentorship programs and training opportunities to women to help them build their skills and advance their careers. 

Another way to promote gender equality in the media and entertainment industry is to tackle the issue of sexual harassment by developing clear policies and procedures for reporting and investigating allegations of sexual harassment. 

Media firms can train employees on what constitutes sexual harassment and how to prevent it. They can also create safe spaces for women to report incidents of sexual harassment without fear of retaliation. 

Asides promoting enlightenment on sexual harassment within the media industry, It is essential to promote female talent in the industry by providing opportunities for women to showcase their skills and talents by creating more opportunities for them to perform, write, and produce music and films. 

Executing this can take the shape of private and public-funded programs that provide grants for female-led projects, and festivals can prioritise female-led and focused tasks in their lineups.

For instance, MTV Staying Alive Foundation unveiled the Talent Accelerator Program — a platform created to invest in young and emerging female creatives while bridging the gender gap in creating high-quality content. 

The campaign intends to advance gender-aware media in the Nigerian TV & Film industry by leveraging internship placements and mentorship programmes across various filmmaking and crew decision areas. Its first execution through social media selected 11 outstanding young women to work across different departments during the filming of MTV Shuga Naija season 5. 

African media and entertainment have advanced in leaps and bounds, undoubtedly through the influence of formidable women. However, upholding the standard they have set primarily depends on how well the industry can create a smoother ecosystem and encourage more female participation.  

Caption  Komolafe