The new African social media platform, LekeeLekee, developed by the owners of ARISE and THISDAY media group, and announced on February 2 has gone live.
Positioned as an African alternative to established big global platforms, Lekeelekee’s establishment emphasizes themes of digital sovereignty, economic empowerment, and community-driven governance for Africans.
The platform’s creators highlight LekeeLekee as a response to Africa’s reliance on social media networks owned by U.S. and Chinese companies. They argue that this reliance has subjected African users to external policies, algorithms, and monetisation structures. LekeeLekee seeks to provide a locally developed alternative that reflects African priorities and values.
A prominent feature of LekeeLekee is its monetisation model, which aims to allow content owners, creators and businesses to earn directly from their work. This approach is intended to address challenges faced by African creators who have struggled with restrictive payout systems on foreign-owned platforms.
LekeeLekee also intends to establish content moderation standards tailored to African contexts. Its developers suggest that frameworks designed in Silicon Valley or Beijing may not always align with African cultural and political realities. By setting its own rules, the platform aims to balance local needs with global engagement.
Beyond immediate functionality, LekeeLekee is presented as part of a broader vision of reducing Africa’s dependence on external technology giants. Advocates argue that such autonomy could strengthen Africa’s position in global digital negotiations and encourage further innovation across the continent.
LekeeLekee is not the first African social media initiative. South Africa’s Mxit, was once widely popular when it was established in the 2000s.
Lekeelekee will favourably compete with the other world social medial giants.