---

Africa's bloggers set own agenda

7 May 2015 More than 1 000 entries from across the African continent were received for the 2015 African Blogger Awards – more than double the number received in 2014, the inaugural year.

The awards aim to acknowledge talented Africans making their mark in the online space.

Entries were open in five main categories including Best African Blog, Best African YouTube Channel, Best African Instagrammer, Best African Twitter profile and Best African Facebook page, as well as across 36 sub-categories.

The awards are based on "impartial blog metrics", rather than through peer nominations and voting, the organisers say.

"The extensive growth in the number of entries we received this year shows that the African social influencer and blogging scenes are not as far behind the rest of the world as many people think," says Murray Legg, co-founder of the African Blogger Awards.

"Even though blogs created and built in Africa may be slowed down by irregular connectivity, it's clear that content is being spread across social networks like wildfire, as people across the continent use social media to connect and share their stories," Legg said.

The organisers say that social media has allowed the continent to take charge of its own narrative. "It is always amazing to see the power of social media, especially in telling a good news story about Africa, take center stage in the digital age."

The winners were announced on 5 May, with awards made in four of the five main categories:

• The best blog about Africa is The African Hip Hop Blog from Zimbabwe
• The best Instagrammer in Africa is Gareth Pon from South Africa
• The best Twitter personality in Africa is Xtiandela from Kenya
• The best YouTube channel in Africa is a href="https://www.youtube.com/theodora" target="_blank">Theodora Lee from South Africa

The 36 sub-categories included advice, fashion and beauty, events and nightlife, education, sports, political, technology and gadgets, and youth culture.

Category winners include:

• Advice: Kenya Weddings followed by The Techie Guy from South Africa
• Arts and Culture: 10and5 (South Africa) followed by Another Africa from Eritrea
• Brand Blog: Ellerman House (South Africa) followed by Bona (South Africa)
• Business: TechFinancials (South Africa) followed by Mark Lives (South Africa)
• DIY blog: The Pretty Blog (South Africa) followed by Make Money Online (Nigeria)
• Entertainment: YoMzanzi (South Africa) followed by Book of Swag (South Africa)
• Events and Nightlife: Just Curious (South Africa) followed by DK Expressions (South Africa)
• Expat Living in Africa: Journal of a City Girl (Namibia)
• Fashion and Beauty: Superficial Girls (South Africa) followed by Inspired Living (South Africa)
Food and Drink: Pika Chakula (Kenya), followed by Hein Stirred (South Africa)
• Health and Beauty: Healthable (Nigeria) followed by Not Another Poppie (South Africa)
• Hobbies: Lazy Gamer (South Africa) followed by Vamers (South Africa)
• Lifestyle: Lovilee (South Africa) followed by Inspired Living (South Africa)
• Marketing and Media: Techloy (Nigeria) followed by GottaQuirk (South Africa)
• Music: Running Wolf Rant (South Africa) followed by Texx and the City (South Africa)
• Parenting: The Blessed Barrenness (South Africa) followed by Rattle and Mum (South Africa)
• Personal: Dad and the Code (South Africa) followed by Lucky Pony (South Africa)
• Photography: Mooi Troues (South Africa), followed by Fire fly Africa (South Africa)
• Political: Josephat Lukaza (Tanzania) followed by Synapses (South Africa)
• Specific to Your Country: Kenya Weddings followed by Don't Party (South Africa)
• Sports: The Pundits (South Africa) followed by The Bounce (South Africa)
• Technology and Gadgets: PixelVulture (South Africa) followed by TechLoy (Nigeria)
• Travel: The Travel Manuel (South Africa) followed by Duff's Suitcase (South Africa)
• Youth Culture: Don't Party (South Africa) followed by Book of Swag (South Africa)

The awards said on its website that the event had been enthusiastically covered on social media, where "the diversity of nationalities [were] a clear indication that social media influencers across Africa have welcomed the opportunity to be measured quantitatively against their peers. The African Blogger Awards are the first true, impartial measure of the reach, resonance and relevance of an influencer channel."

The third edition of the African Blogger Awards will be held in February 2016.

SAinfo reporter