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As part of its Africa Day celebrations on 25 May, Meta 24th May announced the return of its global campaign ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’, which was first launched in 2021.

The campaign is primarily aimed at amplifying the voices and stories of people and businesses from across Africa that are impacting the world. In addition it spotlights eight creators, innovators and SMBs who are making a name for themselves not only in Africa, but globally, and thus  changing the way the continent  is viewed on the world map.

As part of the on-platform and marketing campaign, Meta has partnered with local filmmakers to bring to life eight phenomenal stories. Alongside this will run a dedicated global and local Instagram campaign featuring partnerships with African content creators, a community Reels challenge, the development of a specially designed AR filter inspired by #AfricaMade, as well as a series of free open virtual training sessions via the Meta Africa page, dedicated to all SMBs and Creators from across Africa.

Speaking about the campaign, Kezia Anim-Addo, the Communications Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “I’m truly excited to be bringing back ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ for the 2nd year running. This campaign is about showcasing the incredible talent we have here on the continent, and the African people and businesses that are not only contributing to the global agenda, but are forging their own paths.”

Anim-Addo said that Meta  remains invested in Africa, and is aware  that the continent  is home to some of the world’s most talented and inspired individuals.

It is some of these heroes’ stories that Meta looks forward to spotlighting to the world. 

Short Films: Made by Africa, Loved by the World 

This, Meta has partnered with five local filmmakers -Tarryn Crossman (South Africa), Kofi Awuah (Ghana), Joan Kabugu (Kenya), Bardia Olowu (Nigeria) and Nelson Makengo (DRC), to bring to life    their short films, a series of inspirational stories.

The stories are of the heroes of Africa, who include Trevor Stuurman; a South African award winning contemporary multimedia visual artist who has cemented himself as a creative force to be reckoned with, collaborating with international brands and global stars. 

The other one is Ferre Gola from the DRC. Gola, too, is an  award winning Congolese musician who has earned international accolades as a true icon of Congolese rumba.

The other one is Mosope Olaosebikan from Nigeria. Olaosebikan is the  founder of Africa’s first digital museum devoted to shaping the narrative of culture and people using immersive and innovative methods of curation such as AR/VR.

In addition, there is Rich Mnisi, another South African. Mnisi is  a contemporary multi-disciplinary brand specializing in high-end fashion and furniture designs, with his clothing featured in global media outlets and his designs worn by global names.

Ghana’s Selina Beb, a multiple award-winning fashion brand specialising in African inspired accessories and clothes will also feature.

Kenya will be represented by  Black Rhino VR,  an award-winning Extended Reality Agency working with local and international brands.

Nigeria’s Bonita Foods, a healthy snacks company producing a range of delicious snacks from fruits, nuts and vegetables, with a global footprint across the UK, USA and Germany will feature too.

Pixel Chefs, a South African innovative creative agency, using emerging digital tech to create immersive impactful experiences for both local and global clients shall be highlighted too.

As a platform for self-expression, in the lead up to Africa Day and beyond, Instagram will be celebrating and highlighting the incredible talent and diversity of the African continent:

Instagram AR Filter: Partnering with a South African immersive digital solutions company (Pixel Chefs)  to create an interactive AR filter to provide the Instagram community with a tool to celebrate the occasion, with the vibrancy and liveliness of Africa at the heart. 

Instagram Reels Challenge: Working with content creators from across Africa and the diaspora, Instagram will launch a Reels community challenge under the hashtag #ShareYourAfrica, encouraging its community to celebrate and share with the world what’s uniquely authentic and African to them, whether fashion, music, food or dance.   

African Designers Guide: Throughout the week of Africa Day and beyond, Instagram has invited  @mizliz, the founder of @offtomag, to highlight 12 African designers and artists who are forging their own paths and redefining culture in the process.

IG Creators Q&A with DanceGod Llyod on 25th May: Continuing to spotlight African creators, Instagram will host a live Q&A with Ghanaian dancer sensation and content creator DanceGod Lloyd

There are also free virtual training sessions lined up for the celebrations. Meta will  be hosting a number of free open training sessions throughout the week and post Africa Day via the Meta Africa page, focused on providing other upcoming creatives and entrepreneurs with the digital know-how to take their ideas global. 

Training topics include: Reels school: Learn all about Reels on Facebook and Instagram, as well as top tips and best practices to help connect with more people; Cross Border Business: Discover how to explore different markets, reach new customers, localise marketing and optimise campaigns; Monetization 101: Discover ways to monetise owned content on Facebook and Instagram, as well as learn more about best practices and eligibility requirements. 

There will also be sessions on: Branded Content – Get future-ready: Find out more about creator marketing on Meta platforms including best practices, creative tips, and media and measurement guidance.

Step into AR: Dip into the world of the Metaverse through the lens of Augmented Reality (AR) and explore the what, why and how of AR to help create incredible AR experiences people will love.

 As an extension of the Metaverse Culture Series Black Future experience exploring embedding Black culture, creativity and community, Meta will host a fireside chat with Ime Archibong, Head of New Product Experimentation at Meta, Dylan Fiala (Co-Founder of Pixel Chefs), Winifred Isichei (Founder of Bonita Foods) and diaspora based Walla El Sheikh (Birthright Africa). 

Hosted on Meta Africa FB Page, the conversations will focus around early innovation and adoption across the continent, and how this has contributed to global trends, whilst exploring what the world can learn about African Culture.