Popular Nigerian entrepreneur and CEO of Fekomi Wellness, Dr Adefemi Komiyo Lawrence, has sparked heated debate in the country’s booming creator economy after revealing why he stopped engaging top influencers to promote his herbal products.
In a viral clip, Fekomi disclosed the unsustainable pricing and delivery challenges he encountered. “The price Nigerian influencers charge for content isn’t sustainable,” he stated. “Imagine wanting to patronise Sydney Talker and he tells you to pay ₦20 million for just one video. Shank tells me ₦12 million.”
He further alleged that despite upfront payment, some creators failed to honour contracts. “I paid Ola of Lagos since last year till now, and he still hasn’t fulfilled his contract; he’s still owing me six videos. Carter Efe is also still owing me three videos.”
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The businessman explained that he has since shifted to creating promotional content in-house, a move that has resonated with many entrepreneurs facing similar frustrations amid Nigeria’s tough economic climate
However, in a separate post, an Instagram influencer, Maryam Oyakhilome, lamented the struggles creators like her are facing financially.
Oyakhilome lamented the level of brokenness that is settling with her and others, saying, “A lot of content creators are broke right now. I’m also broke. The reason is Facebook doesn’t really pay us anymore. If you see $20 now, you’re lucky. Before, 1 million views could give you $500, but now the payout is terrible. It all got worse after Nigeria was monetized because a lot of creators didn’t invest. Brands don’t even give creators deals like before anymore. Most brand owners now advertise their products themselves. A good example is Fekomi.”
Hence, in Dr Lawrence’s case, he decided to opt for doing his publicity himself due to the high charges influencers demand.