At TechCabal’s Moonshot summit, founders of Selar, Mainstack and Raenest warned that while African creators can attract worldwide fans instantly, reliable cross‑border payment remains elusive.
Key Takeaways
- African creators can attract global audiences from day one, but 56.45% of Nigerian creators earn less than $100 monthly.
- Mainstack treats every creator as global, aiming to prevent payment loss on the first foreign sale.
- Selar, founded in 2016, has paid out over ₦18 billion to 400,000 creators without sourcing customers for them.
- Raenest focuses on giving freelancers control over cross‑border earnings in any currency.
- Panelists agree that payment fragmentation, not lack of technology, is the biggest barrier to monetising global audiences.
Global Reach, Local Earnings Gap
African creators can amass a global following from their first post, yet the Nigerian Creator Economy Report 2025 shows 56.45% earn under $100 a month. The gap between audience size and actual income is widening as creators struggle to convert clicks into cash.
Mainstack’s Global‑First Model
Read our earlier report: Grey Launches Direct China Payments Service
Ayobami Oyaleke, CEO of Mainstack, describes his platform as a "commerce platform and financial back‑office for creators" operating in roughly 150 countries. He argues that every follower is potential revenue, but the tools only provide the pipe; creators must still drive the flow. Mainstack’s strategy is to treat each creator as global from day one, ensuring that a first $100 from an overseas buyer isn’t lost to payment failures.
Selar’s Bootstrapped Success
Douglas Kendyson founded Selar in 2016 after seeing Paystack users struggle with costly website builds and unreliable payouts. A decade later, the bootstrapped company reports over ₦18 billion ($12.9 million) paid out to nearly 400,000 creators. Kendyson stresses Selar does not source customers for creators; instead, its affiliate network lets marketers sell a creator’s product for a commission, now generating more revenue than the platform’s subscription fees.
Raenest Gives Freelancers Payment Control
Sodruldeen Mustapha, co‑founder and CTO of Raenest, focuses on giving African freelancers full control over cross‑border earnings. He notes that talent already flows abroad, so payment systems must follow, allowing creators to receive funds in any currency and retain control once the money lands in their accounts.
Payment Infrastructure Still Fragmented
All three founders agree on a single pain point: a creator in Lagos may have followers in Europe and the U.S., but the money often stalls at the border. Kendyson observes that new payment gateways appear weekly, yet “payments are still very fractured for a lot of us.” He adds that the ideal solution doesn’t need to be revolutionary—just dependable.
The Need for a Simple, Reliable Solution
The panel’s consensus is clear: a robust, universally‑compatible payment layer could unlock the creator economy’s true potential. Without it, attention converts to vanity metrics rather than sustainable income. As the ecosystem matures, investors and regulators will likely prioritize infrastructure that bridges the audience‑to‑revenue gap.
For a broader view of fintech innovation across Africa, see our coverage of African Banks Bet Big on AI.
Conclusion
African creators are already playing on a global stage, but fragmented payment systems keep most of the money at home. Platforms like Mainstack, Selar and Raenest are building the tools, yet the continent still needs a unified, reliable payment backbone to turn worldwide attention into real earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do African creators struggle to get paid internationally?
Creators often face payment failures, high transaction fees, and fragmented gateways that prevent smooth cross‑border transfers, even when they have overseas followers.
What solutions are Selar, Mainstack and Raenest offering?
Selar provides a marketplace with an affiliate network, Mainstack offers a global‑first commerce back‑office, and Raenest gives freelancers full control over foreign payments.
Is there any indication that payment infrastructure will improve soon?
Panelists note new gateways appear weekly, but without a unified, reliable system the ecosystem will continue to face fragmented payment challenges.
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