Nairobi, Feb. 8 -- Across the continent, a new economic force is rapidly taking shape, largely invisible to traditional gross domestic product (GDP) metrics. Millions of young Africans are no longer just consuming the internet; they are the internet.

TikTok videos are helping FMCG products sell in downtown Nairobi. YouTube channels are shaping political narratives more effectively than traditional television.

Instagram and WhatsApp channels are helping drive actual purchase decisions, bypassing traditional retail. By almost every metric that matters, engagement, growth, cultural impact and raw attention, Africa's creator economy is booming.

Yet financially, it remains small. The disconnect between the volume of influence and the value ...