Home / Business

Kenya is the only African country to offer video streaming via Spotify

The Swedish-owned audio streaming service provider seeks to edge out YouTube. (AFP)

By Bashir Mohammed | 15 Mar 2024

Kenya stands out as the sole African nation among the 11 markets chosen for this pioneering rollout.

Kenya is among 11 countries in which music platform Spotify has launched a video streaming service.

The Swedish-owned audio streaming service provider seeks to edge out YouTube, which has monopolised the audio-visual space in the world.

Keep reading

Facebook, WhatsApp dominate Kenyan social media landscape - CA report

Kenya stands out as the sole African nation among the 11 markets chosen for this pioneering rollout.

"We're excited to launch music videos in beta for Spotify Premium users across 11 markets, adding another way to enhance the artist-to-fan connection," Spotify stated.

The introduction of music video streaming in Kenya not only demonstrates Spotify's commitment to expanding its global presence, but also signifies the company's recognition of Kenya's burgeoning digital music market.

According to data by digital monitoring firm Meltwater, approximately 9.4 per cent of internet users aged between 16 and 64 years in Kenya currently pay for audio streaming services, underscoring the country's potential as a key market for Spotify.

Charlie Hellman, Vice President of Spotify, emphasised the significance of this move, stating, "The introduction of music videos on our platform targets to boost user experience, taking them from being a listener to leaning in and becoming a fan."

This strategic expansion into video content comes at a time when Spotify faces stiff competition from YouTube, particularly in the realm of music video streaming. With YouTube's recent launch of a premium service in Kenya and its dominance in the global video streaming market, Spotify's latest endeavour aims to challenge YouTube's stronghold and offer users an alternative platform for accessing music videos.

Initially, Spotify will provide a curated selection of music videos featuring both international superstars like Ed Sheeran and local favourites such as Aluna. This move builds upon Spotify's previous ventures into video content, including the introduction of "clips" last year, as part of its broader efforts to diversify its offerings beyond audio streaming.

The integration of music video streaming into the existing Spotify interface will offer users a seamless transition between audio and video modes across various devices, including iOS, Android, desktop, and TV platforms, enhancing the overall user experience.