Striped yellow shorts, long red cornrows, tribal face and body markings, and witty quips — are just some of the captivating features of Kapinto, a Kenyan animated character created by Michael Muthiga in 2021. Designed to tell authentic African stories, Kapinto has quickly become a beloved icon.

Often associated with the Kenyan influencer who voices the character and shares the same name, Kapinto tells stories through 30-second online videos. In March, one of his videos went viral and American actor, Will Smith, reposted it to his Instagram.

“I was creating content in Swahili for Kenyan audiences but I realized everyone else also wants to learn the language,” Muthiga, CEO of Fatboy Animations, tells AfroVibes. “It's a good thing. It's appreciating real content from Africa.”

Since then, Fatboy Animations has garnered nearly 2 million followers across social media. Its videos have received over 1 million likes on Instagram and more than 5 million TikTok views.

“I love to tell our stories as they are, not how other people think they should be,” Muthiga says. “I know some people will care about what we do but whether they care or not, I'll keep doing it.”

In recent years, an increased number of companies and streaming platforms have started to care, turning their attention to Africa's billion-dollar animation industry. Shows like Cartoon Network’s "Garbage Boy and Trash Can'' released in 2022, "Supa Team 4" released on Netflix in 2023, and "Iwájú'' released on Disney+ in February, exemplify how companies are collaborating with local African creators to produce original stories, fostering a shift toward authentic African storytelling.

Muthiga, 37, founded Fatboy Animations in Kenya in 2010 and initially struggled to convince companies of the impact animations could have on their business. Social media provided the now six-member team with global visibility and helped them attract more clients. Kapinto now advertises for both local and international companies including Jumia, Itel, Paysii, and Noones.

“Kapinto is now an influencer,” Muthiga says. “Characters can influence and they can make money.”

The animation industry has grown in profitability in recent years. In 2023, the global animation market was valued at nearly $412.96 billion and is projected to double by 2033. Africa's market share was $13.3 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $17.8 billion within the next decade. As Africa continues to emerge as a hub for premium content, many African creators emphasize the need for increased investments to fully realize this potential.

“As a continent, we should prioritize money for storytelling,” Malenga Mulendema tells AfroVibes. “We have many things to uncover and explore that can only be documented through storytelling.”

Mulendema, the creator and writer of Netflix’s first original African animation, “Supa Team 4,” found success in Zambia after seeking opportunities online. Eager to connect with audiences beyond her work in journalism, her journey in animation began with a story lab workshop hosted by Triggerfish Animation Studios in 2015. Selected as the sole Zambian participant in the two-week workshop held in Cape Town and California, her story idea was one of four animated TV series chosen by Triggerfish for development with a $3.5 million budget, eventually picked up by Netflix.

After an eight-year wait to see the results of the work hundreds of people put in to produce “Supa Team 4,” Mulendema says it is a reality she is happy with but didn't see coming.

“Not seeing yourself represented in a certain space deters you from growth,” Mulendema says. “I applied for that story lab not thinking that one day there would be “Supa Team 4” but the concept just kept moving forward. We've never had anything of this magnitude in terms of quality and storytelling but we’ve been putting in the work for decades to get to where we are now. Somehow, as Africans, we do find the money and push. You must seek and you will find.”

In Lagos, Nigeria, Ferdy Adimefe is currently seeking investments through crowdfunding to adapt Cyprian Ekwensi’s book, “The Passport of Mallam Ilia,” into a feature-length animated film. The team has completed 70% of the project and is raising $500,000 to finish it.

Left to Right: Chekwube Okonkwo, MI Thomas, Greg Reitman, Ferdy Adimefe

Adimefe, founder of Magic Carpet Studios, spent the last seven years cementing his footprint within the animation space alongside co-founders, Chekwube Okonkwo and Duru Azubuike. The company is among those creating sustainable growth in Nigeria’s animation industry through international collaborations with Cartoon Network and Sesame Street to train talent and create animation projects. Adimefe acknowledges progress in the African animation industry within the past decade but asserts it falls short of creators’ aspirations.

“A lot of stakeholders are getting more involved and asking the right questions,” Adimefe says. “Africa has many stories that could translate well into film and series for the rest of the world and it is something African leaders have to get involved in also – the creative development process and capital structure to support it.”

Adimefe remains concerned about international partnerships that restrict the intellectual property rights of African creators. In 2021, Netflix responded to a proposed copyright amendment bill in South Africa, stating its inability to pay royalties to creators under its subscription-based revenue model. In January, Amazon Prime Video withdrew from funding local content in Africa due to a "restructuring" of its international business, leaving many creators on the continent in a precarious position.

“We want a win that will not just whet the appetite, but also put money in the pockets of African creators while fundamentally opening up the industry,” Adimefe says. “For us, we produce animation as a service and we also create our own film. That allows us to keep the lights on even as we build.”

Africa's storytelling talent is gaining global recognition, yet many creators still face funding challenges. Meanwhile, for Muthiga, his drive goes beyond revenue and acclaim. The attention Kapinto receives is a clear indication for him that Africans crave relatable stories that capture their everyday experiences.

“It's not just about capital,” Muthiga says. “It's now appreciating real content from Africa.”