Online pastimes that Africans love

 

When the internet was devised decades ago, only a few people believed it could generate and harness 

the seismic changes in society it has created. Bill Gates once stated in the 1990s that he hoped 

everybody would have a computer in their home one day, and the idea seemed like a wild concept.  

 

Fast-forward 30 years and billions of people and millions of Africans have portable mobile phones which can essentially do everything a computer can do and much more. One of the pastimes that have emerged on the continent over the last few years is gambling, even though the region has various laws ranging from a total ban to well-regulated and profitable industries. 

 

Ghana, for example, has a wide range of legal casino offerings, including online and land-based. Bettors is one of the companies that operate in Ghana and have several immersive and engaging titles available. 

 

YouTube 

 

Watching videos on YouTube is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. Millions of Africans use 

YouTube to watch their favourite content, and some use it to promote their business. The amount of 

content that is available on YouTube is incredibly vast. Whether sports, news, finance, entertainment, 

leisure or tourism, billions of hours of viewing are available on YouTube.  

 

When one of the founders uploaded the first video to the website nearly 20 years ago, the creators of the landmark website couldn’t have predicted just how widespread and commonly used their site would 

become. It is popular worldwide, and millions of Africans love taking to YouTube to watch their favourite videos. 

 

Social media 

 

Another pastime that Africans enjoy is browsing and posting on social media websites such as Instagram and Facebook. Nigeria is the country that has the highest number of social media users on the continent. Still, hundreds of millions spend multiple hours a week on their phones checking out social media. Other examples of social media include messaging apps such as Telegram and WhatsApp. 

 

Buying items online 

 

The internet has revolutionised how we buy and sell products. It has brought us closer to retailers. It has also created a global marketplace where these ideas can be brought to fruition quicker and with increased competition. 

 

The convenience of purchasing items online has changed the world forever. Buying items online can 

range from luxury items such as jewellery to everyday purchases such as groceries. 

 

Conclusion 

 

Other continents, such as Europe and North America, have more widespread use of mobile phones and 

accessibility to the internet. However, digital markets in Africa are becoming more profitable and emerging quickly. As our world increasingly moves online, pastimes and hobbies are starting to follow suit.  

 

Generations that didn’t grow up with the internet or grew up in poverty may not be computer literate and may prefer to stay away from the internet. Generations born after 1995 are well-versed in the use of the internet. The generations that follow them will likely have an even stronger grasp of the digital world. Who knows, maybe 20 years from now, all pastimes will be solely on the internet?