Digital advertising in Nigeria’s entertainment and media (E&M) maket has been projected to account for 84% of the country’s total ad spend by 2029, according to PwC’s Africa Entertainment & Media Outlook 2025–2029.
This share places Nigeria ahead of the global average, with South Africa and Kenya following at 74% and 64%, respectively.
The report highlights that retail display and paid search such as ads on e-commerce platforms like Jumia and paid search results on Google or Bing are among the fastest-growing forms of digital advertising.
“Advertising is shifting rapidly to digital. Nigeria is expected to reach 84% digital ad spend by 2029 surpassing global benchmarks. South Africa and Kenya are close behind at 74% and 64% respectively. Retail display and paid search are among the fastest-growing segments,” the report stated.
PwC further projects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% for Nigeria’s E&M market through 2029, compared to 5.2% for Kenya and 3.5% for South Africa, signaling steady expansion across the continent despite economic headwinds.
Connectivity drives digital consumption
The report identifies connectivity as a major enabler of the shift as Nigeria now has over 107 million internet users. This trend shows that the way people connect with brands is changing.
Nigerian advertisers now focus more on campaigns that bring real results, leveraging data analytics and mobile engagement to target audiences more effectively.
- Generative AI (GenAI) is becoming a powerful game-changer in E&M industry, improving how content is created, how recommendations are made, and how audiences engage with brands. The report notes that Nigeria, with its young and tech-driven population, is well-positioned to tap into GenAI’s potential to unlock new business opportunities in media, entertainment, and advertising.
- Live entertainment is also rebounding across Nigeria. PwC highlighted that live entertainment is rebounding, with live music revenues surpassing pre-pandemic levels and esports gaining momentum.
This resurgence points to a renewed appetite for physical experiences alongside digital engagement,
Global perspective
The global E&M sector is at the center of a major economic transformation driven by technology, evolving consumer behavior, and shifting global dynamics. The sector is unlocking value across industries but continues to face structural challenges that could slow growth in the coming years.
The report identifies the following key challenges affecting the global E&M industry:
- Regulatory changes and trade tariffs are creating major headwinds for expansion, increasing operating costs, and limiting cross-border growth.
- Inflationary pressures and economic uncertainty are reducing household purchasing power, making consumers less willing to spend on entertainment and media products.
- Weakened consumer confidence continues to affect demand for paid content and subscription-based services.
- Difficulty persuading consumers to allocate a larger portion of their discretionary income to E&M offerings in a tight economic environment.
- Rising operational costs and stricter compliance requirements are putting additional pressure on profitability.
The report notes that, despite the technological advancements, the overall rate of revenue growth in the E&M sector is expected to decline over the forecast period due to ongoing pressure on consumer spending.