TikTok announces title sponsors for 2025 Sub-Saharan Africa Awards

As part of the sponsorship, NIVEA (Beiersdorf) will support the Creator of the Year award, while inDrive will sponsor the Storyteller of the Year award. According to TikTok, the partnerships reflect a shared focus on innovation, inclusivity and the celebration of African creators making an impact both regionally and globally.

“We are delighted to partner with TikTok, as we share a long-standing relationship across the globe, including in the Sub-Saharan region,” inDrive Africa marketing lead Mikita Ponarin said. “TikTok is a unique platform that enables us to engage with young audiences in a language and format that truly resonates with them. We extend our gratitude to the company for organising the 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa and congratulate all guests and participants on this remarkable event.”

Additional sponsors include Coca-Cola, Dis-Chem and PEP Stores, which will serve as Category Sponsors for the Food Creator of the Year, Social Impact Creator of the Year and Entertainment Creator of the Year awards respectively. TikTok says these partnerships are intended to acknowledge creators who are influencing culture and contributing to social change across the region.

TikTok head of content operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba said: “TikTok is proud to partner with great local and regional brands that support Africa’s creative economy. What excites us about these partnerships is the shared vision. These brands are making a conscious choice to invest in African creativity at a pivotal moment. They see what we see: that when we uplift creators, we strengthen entire communities and economies across the continent.”

TikTok said the partnerships align with its broader aim to support creative expression across Africa, emphasising accessibility and community engagement. The 2025 edition of the awards will spotlight standout content and creators from the past year, spanning viral dance trends, educational material, food content and storytelling.

The TikTok Awards, held annually, recognise influential and impactful creators across Sub-Saharan Africa and highlight the ways in which they have connected and inspired audiences on and beyond the platform.