Vwaza TV is taking a different approach to Africa’s streaming market

Getting an African film in front of an audience is one thing. Making money from it is another. That is the problem Vwaza Multimedia is trying to work on with Vwaza TV, its new streaming platform for African films, series and original productions. The Malawian company launched Vwaza TV on August 19. Instead of making every viewer sign up for a monthly subscription, Vwaza allows people to watch some content for free and pay to rent or buy other films and shows. It is a simple model, but it gives viewers another option. If someone only wants to watch one film, they do not necessarily have to take on another monthly bill.

Vwaza wants filmmakers to have more control

Vwaza is also trying to make the platform useful to the people producing the content. Through Vwaza Studio, filmmakers can upload their work, set prices and manage their content. The company says creators receive between 80% and 85% of the revenue from streams and sales. For smaller producers, that could be useful. Getting a film onto one of the major streaming platforms can be difficult, particularly when the producer does not have a large production company or an established relationship with a distributor. Vwaza gives them another place to put the film and see whether people are willing to pay for it.

Paying for the content is part of the problem

The way people pay for online entertainment matters. Not everyone has an international bank card, and not everyone wants to pay for services priced in foreign currencies. Vwaza says it supports 13 local currencies and allows payments through mobile money, bank accounts and cards. It has also worked with Malawian production company Nyali Muzik Studios and Za Nyimbo TV, supporting local payment methods such as Airtel Money and PayChangu. For a platform trying to operate across Africa, making payment easier is not a small issue. If people cannot easily pay, they are unlikely to buy a film.

The company has been working with creators for years

Vwaza is not starting from scratch. The company was founded in Malawi in 2021 and initially focused on music and digital distribution. It has since added podcasts, merchandise and other tools for creators. Its Vwaza Studio platform allows creators to upload their work and keep track of their earnings. The company has also made Studio available on mobile, so creators can manage their content without having to sit at a computer. Vwaza TV is the latest addition to that business.

There are already plenty of places to watch African films

African filmmakers have more ways to distribute their work than they did a few years ago. There is YouTube, television, cinemas and the larger streaming services. But having more platforms does not necessarily mean every filmmaker gets an opportunity. Some producers still struggle to find a distributor or get their films in front of enough people. Vwaza is offering another route. A filmmaker can upload a film, decide what viewers should pay and receive a share of the revenue. The company is not promising that every film will sell. The filmmaker still needs to make something people want to watch and do the work of bringing an audience to it.

Malawi is a small market to build from

Vwaza is based in Malawi, which gives it a much smaller home market than companies operating from Nigeria or South Africa. That means the company cannot rely on Malawi alone if it wants to build a large streaming business. It will need viewers from other African countries. Vwaza says its platform is available across most countries, with a focus on African users. That gives it a much bigger market to work with, but also means it will have to compete for attention in countries where people already have access to major international services.

The question is whether people will actually pay

This is probably the biggest test for Vwaza. Having African films on the platform is not enough. People need to find something they want to watch, the price needs to make sense and paying for it needs to be easy. Filmmakers also need to see enough money coming through the platform to keep using it. That is why the company’s pay per title approach will be interesting to watch. Vwaza is not trying to build another streaming service where people pay every month for access to a large catalogue. It is trying to create a place where African creators can sell their work directly to viewers. Whether that becomes a big business will depend on how many filmmakers use it, how many viewers pay and whether those viewers come back for the next film.