SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Sketch makers in Africa have become pivotal figures in the highly diversified entertainment industry, deftly combining humor and social commentary to captivate audiences across the continent and beyond. These creative individuals harness the power of digital platforms to create short, relevant and often hilarious snippets that reflect the daily lives and idiosyncrasies of African society, contributing significantly to the rapidly growing creative economy.
The rise of sketch-making in Africa underscores the depth of the continent’s digital revolution. With over 526 million internet users in 2021, Africa has seen an increase in content creators taking advantage of the massive reach of social media. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok serve as stages for skit makers to showcase their talent, in some cases leading to fame and even fortune.
Sketch making also adds substantially to the substance of Africa’s creative sector. Projected to reach US$12 billion by 2025 in East, West and South Africa alone, the sector is increasingly driven by online video content. Sketch makers drive job creation, with many production company establishments employing writers, directors and technical staff.
Culturally, skits serve as a medium for storytelling, preserving African languages ββand dialects. They incorporate local slang and expressions and their authentic nature resonates deeply with viewers. Partnerships with traditional media further expand the reach of skitmakers.
Beyond entertainment, African skit makers serve as cultural ambassadors, reshaping global perceptions by showcasing the diversity, creativity and resilience of African communities. As they gain international recognition, these sketch makers aren’t just making laughsβthey’re changing narratives. Senegalese-Italian Khaby Lame, perhaps Africa’s best-known sketch maker, is even transforming narratives in and about Europe. Here are some of Africa’s biggest ski manufacturers:
1. Isaac Olayuwola β Nigeria
Popularly known as Layi Wasabi or The Lawyer, Olayiwola developed his lawyer persona based on his experiences studying law and being surrounded by lawyers. In an earlier interview, he said, “I served in the Ministry of Justice in Ibadan, so there were many lawyers like him.”
Through platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, Layi Wasabi entertains his large following of nearly 5 million combinations with lawyerly humor. Recently, he also introduced a new persona, βMr. Richard,β focusing on motivational speaking in his skits.
2. William Last KRM β Botswana
William is one of the biggest sketch creators in Africa with a total of over 30 million followers on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. His sketches are described as Mr Bean style, with a focus on physical humour, slapstick and non-verbal cues. Last year, the 24-year-old won Digital Content Creator of the Year at the African Entertainment Awards USA.
3. Somi Lynda β Nigeria (based in the Netherlands)
Somi Lynda is a content creator who makes sketches and posts them on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram under the username @driplist. Her sketches are known for their humor and credibility, often focusing on everyday situations and cultural observations. Its content includes parodies and entertaining stories that resonate with a wide audience.
It often depicts common experiences, such as the quirks of living in a foreign country, in a lighthearted and entertaining way. Her approach to content creation has garnered her a large following and millions of likes on TikTok.
4. Abraham Ereme β Nigeria
Known as Twyse Ereme, the Nigerian is famous for his sitcom ‘Twyse & Family’ which humorously depicts the daily life of a popular family. Twyse takes on multiple roles in the series, offering deeper insight into each character’s journey. She has a significant social media presence with more than 1.4 million followers on Instagram, nearly 1 million on TikTok and half a million subscribers on YouTube. In 2022, Twyse incorporated his sketches into the comedy Twyse and Family (The Movie).
5. Charity Ekezie β Nigeria
The award-winning creator and journalist uses humorous, sarcastic sketches to dispel negative stereotypes about Africa. It dispels ignorant ideas about how Africa looks, while showcasing the continent’s developments in infrastructure and access to basic amenities. With more than 3 million followers, viewership exceeds 200 million on its digital platforms. She was a runner-up for the 2022 TikTok Top Creator Award.
6. Uncle Mo β Uganda
Ugandan comedian Moses Kiboneka’s character uses satire and situation comedy to address politics, breaking news, culture and dating dynamics. Listed in Avance Media’s Top 100 Most Influential Young Africans for 2023, his comics have a significant impact on the youth. In an interview with the Nile Post, he revealed: βI was an engineer more than a creative, that is for about ten years. Uncle Mo’s content started in 2020 when he made his first videoβ¦β
According to a story in The East African newspaper, Kiboneka’s comedy journey is unintentional. He says comedy came as an alternative when work at his garage was halted due to the disruptions caused by Covid-19 last year. He says the lockdown left him idle as customers didn’t bring their cars in for repairs.
He says he had planned to film his pieces in a setting similar to The Daily Show in the US. He had even recognized a friend’s office, which he thought was fancy enough for the shoot. But on the day of the shoot, his friend changed his mind and told him “go shoot in your garages”.
And right then Kiboneka decided to shoot his skits in his garage dressed in his overalls. This is how “the Makanika from Kireka” was born. Little did he know that five months later he would be a comedy sensation in Uganda. Kiboneka works as a mechanic in real life, in the garage he shoots from. He has two degrees, done at the same time β mechanical engineering at Kyambogo University and a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, economics and statistics from Makerere University.
7. Fatboy and Kapinto β Kenya
Kenyan animation investor and creator Michael Muthiga brings to life the cartoon character Fatboy, known for his body paintings, signature flaming red crowns and thigh-length ponytail. Voiced by Kenyan content creator Kapinto, Fatboy’s sketches cover a range of topics from motivation and encouragement to promoting self-awareness. The cartoons have garnered widespread attention, including a share by Hollywood star Will Smith in March 2024, captioned “I love this @fatboykenya character.” Fatboy boasts over 1.2 million followers on TikTok and 605k on Instagram.
8. Thenjiwe Comedy β South Africa
The South African comedy queen is known for her fresh, witty take on everyday life. Her skits, shared across multiple platforms, receive great engagement, making her one of Mzansi’s most loved comedians. She has almost 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, over 350,000 followers on TikTok and over 400,000 followers on Instagram. In addition to creating sketches, he is also a standup comedian and actor.
9. Mohamed Moula β Egypt
The Egyptian actor, a former dentist, has appeared in several films, most recently the 2022 romantic drama Me and Her. Apart from acting, he is a famous sketch maker, known for his hilarious skits imitating phone conversations with various people. His exaggerated views on everyday Egyptian life leave his huge social media following in stitches. In addition, Moula is a published author.
10. Maryam Apaokagi β Nigeria
Known as Taooma, the 25-year-old content creator, filmmaker and social media influencer has taken the internet by storm. With over 6 million followers on Instagram, an additional 5.1 million on TikTok and over 1 million subscribers on YouTube, he ranks among Nigeria’s top sketch creators. Recently, she has featured international stars such as Canadian-American King Bach and actor Terry Crews in her comedies, showing her global reach and influence.
Extra: Khaby Lame (how could we not include Africa’s most famous sketch maker, even if he doesn’t live in Africa?)
Senegal-born, Italy-based Khaby Lame is one of the most popular sketch makers in the world. With over 162 million TikTok followers and 81.5 million Instagram followers, his short comedy clips spoofing famous memes have garnered over 2.4 billion likes on TikTok alone. As of 2020, after being fired from a factory job, Khaby has become a global sensation, working with major brands and top events such as the 2023 Super Bowl. Recognized in Fortune’s 40 Under 40 and Forbes’ 2022 30 Under 30, he has also received the Premio la Moda Veste la Pace award from the African Fashion Gate organization.
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Source: Bonface Orucho & Fiske Nyirongo, bird history agency