In a landmark move set to reshape Africa’s digital marketing landscape, tech startup AfricaZAUMU has unveiled ZAUMU, the continent’s first creator-first, end-to-end influencer campaign management platform.

Launched this week in Nairobi, ZAUMU promises to solve long-standing challenges in the influencer space, including lack of transparency, delayed payments, poor contract structures, and misalignment between creators and brands.

Unlike traditional influencer platforms, ZAUMU is built specifically to empower African content creators offering them the tools to manage campaigns, negotiate contracts, and receive milestone-based payments all within a single digital ecosystem.

“Despite the growing appetite for digital marketing, 90 percent of campaigns targeting influencers never get off the ground,” said Cedric Nzomo, co-founder of ZAUMU. “The trust gap, lack of transparency, and outdated processes have made it easier for brands to stick to traditional advertising like the 200 billboards between Waiyaki Way and Nairobi’s CBD, which out-earned the entire influencer economy in 2024.”

According to Statista, Kenya’s influencer marketing spend was estimated at $2.5 million in 2024, significantly below its potential value of $25 million. ZAUMU is positioning itself as the platform that could help close that gap by giving creators and brands a structured, secure space to work together more efficiently.

In addition, the platform offers resources for managing intellectual property, giving creators more control over how their content is used and monetized.

“The beauty of content creation is that you can monetize what you’re already doing. But access and efficiency have been missing. ZAUMU is built to fix that,” Nzomo added.

The launch comes at a time when digital entrepreneurship is growing rapidly across the continent, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, who are increasingly turning to platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram to earn a living.

With ZAUMU, creators will no longer have to rely on informal deals or hope for fair treatment from brands. Instead, they’ll gain access to a standardized, professional environment that levels the playing field.

Industry analysts see the platform as a major step forward in developing Africa’s creative economy, which has been hampered by a lack of digital infrastructure despite abundant talent.

As Africa’s digital transformation continues, ZAUMU’s entry into the market could redefine how creators and brands collaborate and ensure that creators finally get a fair share of the value they help generate.