Nigerian TikTok sensation, Adebayo Temitayo, popularly known as Realjjfrosh, has announced plans to launch his own social media platform aimed at addressing the monetisation challenges faced by African content creators on global platforms like TikTok.
The content creator said the proposed app would offer more inclusive monetisation features, allowing creators to begin earning with as few as 1,000 followers, compared to the 10,000 to 100,000-follower threshold often required on platforms such as TikTok.
““I am planning to build my own platform like TikTok,” Temitayo noted. “When I have the resources, I want to create a platform that offers monetisation opportunities for creators, no matter where they are from. I was born on August 2, 2005, in Ode-Irele, Ondo State, I know what it feels like to start from a place where people don’t expect much from you.”
While TikTok has provided a pathway for visibility and virality, Temitayo pointed out that its best features, including revenue-sharing tools and algorithmic support, are skewed towards creators in tier-one countries. He described this imbalance as a major roadblock for African creators hoping to turn their content into income.
“TikTok has been a life-changer for me, but its best features are often limited to tier-one countries, making it harder for creators in Nigeria to earn fairly,” he said.
The Chinese-owned short-video platform currently allows Nigerian users with at least 10,000 followers to access the Creator Fund and explore sponsored content opportunities. However, content creators say the earnings remain inconsistent and heavily dependent on engagement metrics like watch time, shares and comments.
Temitayo, who rose to fame with the viral TikTok sound “1000 Views 2 Likes” in 2023, has since built a following of over 600,000 users, thanks in part to his 2024 “100 Billion Comments” challenge, one of the most engaged videos in TikTok Africa’s history.
Despite his personal success, he remains focused on building a platform that lowers the barrier to monetisation and supports creators from underserved markets.
“I want to make it easier for creators to grow and earn from their content,” he said. “My platform will give users the opportunity to monetise from the start, even with just 1,000 followers.”
His proposed solution comes at a time when many Nigerian content creators are raising concerns over TikTok’s algorithm changes, which they say now favour celebrities and high-profile users. The shift has led to significant drops in engagement for emerging creators.
While TikTok denies any bias in its algorithm, the growing frustration among local creators has intensified calls for platforms that prioritise African voices.
Temitayo’s upcoming platform could offer an alternative that reflects the realities of content creation in emerging economies—where talent is abundant, but monetisation pathways remain limited.
