Nadia Matovu
Creating content. Gone are the days when owning a social media account was simply to catch up with old friends or create new ones. The changing dynamics of the digital world have paved way for a new career path for many young people; both in Uganda and across the world. Content creators, as they are professionally referred to, are giving their counterparts in the traditional fields of work a run for their money. As part of Meta’s Content Creators of Tomorrow programme, Uganda’s Nadia Matovu was recently selected as the country’s representative, in a programme that has about 150 next-generation creators from across the globe. Gloria Haguma caught up with Matovu on what this means for Uganda.
How do you feel about being chosen for this role and what does this mean to you as a content creator?
I am excited to be representing Uganda as a Meta Creator of Tomorrow
ambassador. I have been creating content since 2018, so to be working with a company such as Meta, which has transformed content platforms with its ever-evolving technologies, is a dream come true for my content creation journey.
Why do you think you were selected among all the other content creators we have in Uganda?
We have many talented content creators in Uganda, so to be selected is truly an honour. I honestly do not know why I was selected, but I guess my work [content] speaks for itself and managed to catch the attention of the Meta team.
How do you think being a part of this initiative is going to impact your content creation process?
One of the objectives of the campaign is to work closely with the chosen ambassadors to help us expand our audiences and turn our passions into professions, so I believe being a part of this initiative is going to make my content creation process easier and improve the overall quality of my content. Recently, I had the pleasure of joining the Meta team and the other Creators of Tomorrow ambassadors in Nairobi for brunch, and we learnt how to improve the quality of our reels and how to further monetise our social media platforms. The campaign has just begun and it is already helping me with tools and tips for my content creation process.
Some of the content creators and the Meta team at a brunch organised recently. PHOTOS / COURTESY
What kind of content should your followers be excited about in the coming future?
I am going to keep doing content about Uganda and highlighting the Uganda we never really see in mainstream media, but I also want to expand this concept to other African countries.
What would you say has been the greatest season in your content creation journey?
Right now is the greatest season for me in. I am
focused, enjoying the process, and working with Meta – it does not get any better than that.
What would you say is your niche in terms of content creation?
My content varies from motherhood, travel, fashion to beauty, but I would put all my content under the umbrella of luxury lifestyle because there is always an element of luxury in the content I create.
What kind of content would you say gets you in your element as a creator?
Creating content about Uganda gets me in my element as a creator. Those 90-second Instagram reels you see can take up to two days to conceptualise and execute, but I love the process. I love showing people the Uganda I know and have experienced.
What tips would you share with an up-and-coming content creator who is trying to find their landing?
The number one tip is to make sure that as a content creator you enjoy the content creation process. Do not create content solely for the sake of getting many views or gaining followers, create content that you are
passionate about. For example, I used to try and make content around doing my make-up because I saw that it was trending, but honestly, I hated the entire process. The lack of passion and enthusiasm reflected in my content consistency and I would post very few videos because I did not like filming make-up content.
Now I only create content that I enjoy making, regardless of whether it is trending or not, which has resulted in consistency.
What is your take on content creation as a career in UG?
I am going to be brutally honest here. We have very many talented content creators in Uganda, but we do not have any well-established systems to support content creators. So many brands do not want to pay content creators what they are worth, some do not want to even pay at all, while other brands are hell-bent on the whole “we will give you products in exchange for content” shenanigan, which I find ridiculous. I think we have a long way to go before content creation in Uganda can be pursued as a full-time career, though I hope the change will come soon.
Are there any local creators you follow/admire and hope to partner with?
I admire a lot of Ugandan content creators but my top three are Lucy Smize, Prim Nyonoyzi and Rebecca Nanjego. These ladies are unique and consistent with their content and I would love to partner with all of them.
What does your selection mean for the industry?
I hope my selection puts a spotlight on the content creation industry that we have in Uganda. We have many talented content creators in this country but we are always under-represented on global platforms.
How much autonomy do you have in the content you will create going forward?
I still have autonomy in all the content I create, as the Meta Creators of
Tomorrow Campaign does not interfere with any of the creativity of any of the chosen content creators. The campaign encourages us to keep being authentic in our content creation process.
How big is your team? Do you have any?
The size of my team varies, depending on what kind of content I am creating, but usually, it is me, a make-up artist and my assistant.
Itumeleng Morule, Corporate Communications Manager, SADC – Meta
How are the personalities selected for this campaign going to benefit from this experience?
We will work with these creators over the course of the next year, to integrate them into our news and events, spotlight their talent, and nurture their careers as they continue to grow their presence online.
In November, the Creators of Tomorrow will attend the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Creators Week in London. There, they will be joined by other regional creators at various stages of their careers to collaborate, learn from each other, and continue to find inspiration in the future of content creation on our platforms.
We will continue to give them access to cutting-edge tools, education, and resources so they are at the forefront of tomorrow’s opportunities and innovation.
We recently had a Meta ban in Uganda that has not been resolved. Is this one of the issues that will be addressed through this campaign (for Uganda at least)?
This campaign is about spotlighting the innovative creators who are inspiring a new movement of creative content online and turning passions into professions, including here in Uganda. We have always made our views clear and the impact restrictions continue to have on users, particularly Small and Midsize Businesses (SMBs) in Uganda who rely on our services to trade not only locally, but continent-wide and internationally.
How would you compare the Ugandan content on Meta platforms to the rest of Africa?
We are seeing amazing talent coming from across the continent, and it is exciting to witness the vibrant scene of creators and businesses that are changing the way the world views Africa. The selected creators from across Sub-Saharan Africa are vastly different, however, they all have one thing in common which is inspiring a new movement of creative content online through comedy, art, dance, fashion, travel, music etc.
What criteria was used in selecting the ambassadors for this campaign?
The personalities selected are leaders in their fields and represent diverse communities that span across our platforms. We know there is immense talent and creativity in East Africa and the rest of the continent and the people featured are just a small representation of this. Nadia, Kwambox and Crazy Kennar have different experiences and stories to tell, they are exceptional content creators, who are using their skills and talent to tell the African narrative. The 150 creators selected showcase some of the following Meta creator values: They creatively use short-form video/ reels, are experimenting with innovation, are emerging and aspiring within their communities and are turning passions into professions:
What initiatives is Meta putting in place to implement cultural representation for Uganda on its platforms?
People have always used our technologies to connect with their friends and family, this includes people in Uganda. But over time, it has become more than that – it is a place to connect with brands, businesses and people around the world who share common interests, cultures and experiences.
In our recent campaign, ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ in celebration of Africa Day, we worked with content creators from across Africa and the diaspora, by launching a Reels community challenge on Instagram under the hashtag #ShareYourAfrica, which encouraged communities to celebrate and share with the world what is uniquely authentic and African to them, whether fashion, music, food or dance. This is one of the many ways we continue shining a spotlight on people from across the continent and ensuring they are represented in our technologies.
What are the future exemption plans for this campaign on the African continent, seeing as the pool of content creators increases each passing day?
Every day, creators in Africa and all over the world inspire people and push culture forward. With the profound shift in how people create and consume culture, we are determined to inspire and champion a pool of African creators who are innovatively creating content on our technologies. As we work to usher in the metaverse, we will continue to give creators access to cutting-edge tools, education, and resources, so they are at the forefront of tomorrow’s opportunities and innovation.
