Africa is a continent known for its beautiful wildlife and culture. The continent encompasses over 30 million square kilometers (11.73 million square miles) and is comprised of 1.324 billion people speaking an estimated 1500-2000 languages in 54 countries. There is the outstanding uniqueness of each country within Africa, with each one functioning with different dynamics, making for an enormous diversity of people, culture, languages, trends, legislation, and tax laws.
Over time there has been an increase in globalization and corporatization, leading to increased professionalism in African countries. Many global organizations are starting to really see Africa as strategic to their businesses and putting attention and investment into the continent. What this has resulted in is the discovery of the talents and human resources within Africa. There have been more recruitment designs or talent acquisition practices which has been of benefit to citizens of African countries who seek to work in different industries and organizations internationally.
The voice-over industry in particular has begun to flourish in Africa, considering the increased interest of brands and businesses in Africa, and the economic growth in African countries. Several talent development companies have blossomed in Africa to train young talents to harness the power of their voice in order to give the desired appeal and sound. This relatively new industry in Africa has opened up an entirely new window of opportunity to African talents who are seeking alternative education and unconventional streams of income and development.
At present, the biggest voice-over industry in Africa is South Africa. This is likely as a result of the formal economy that they have which makes it easier for professionals to access resources and thrive. The next is Nigeria, which professionals hold out a lot of hope for because of the increasing development witnessed in the sector. The present worth of the voice-over industry in Nigeria is estimated around N500 million.
A voice talent is not just a great voice, but a person with endless ambition, polished talent, and good business sense. There are three main criteria for talents in the African voice-over industry. The number one criterion is a good voice. The second is clarity in pronunciation, while the third is a rich command of our indigenous languages.
Annually, the voice-over industry can create at least 10,000 jobs if given adequate support. This is great news for many in Africa, especially youths, who seek employment opportunities which can be scarce. Youth face roughly double the unemployment rate of adults in African countries. Youths account for 60% of all of Africa’s jobless, according to the World Bank. In North Africa, the youth unemployment rate is 25%. This is even less than the unemployment rates in Botswana, the Republic of the Congo, Senegal, and South Africa, among others.
Now, these talents have new career choices in the voice-over industry. Opportunities in the blooming voice-over industry in Africa are abundant. When one considers the diverse range of clients, flexible work hours, and the ability to audition and work from home, it’s easy to see why we would view voice acting is one of the most exciting and rewarding careers available today. Many of them can, through the voice-over industry, become self-employed entrepreneurs or they can work within the many companies that scout for voice-over talent.
The voice-over industry in Africa is one that has become accelerated over time. The demand for quality voice-overs comes from a variety of industries, such as advertising, gaming, broadcasting, healthcare, education and financial services. Practically every industry needs a voice-over at some point. Even during trying times like a global pandemic, the voice over industry is uniquely positioned to adapt easily with the help of technology and creative services marketplaces. All of this provides an industry that can be described as nothing short of a goldmine for talent.
At iVoice Africa, you can find the best voice-over talents who are thoroughbred professionals and have been trained to deliver quality work for a variety of voice projects. We offer professional voice over services in English, French and African languages. We also provide interpretation, translation and localization services. One thing we promise is excellence, and you can trust us to deliver on it. Want to work with us? Contact us via +234 7026276411 or send us an email @info@ivoiceafrica.com to let us know your needs TODAY.
