IShowSpeed Defends Decision To Reject Nigerian Creator Collabs Amid Backlash

American YouTuber IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., has addressed mounting criticism from Nigerian content creators following his chaotic visit to the country. 

The 21-year-old streamer, known for his high-energy IRL content, achieved a historic milestone during his brief stint in Lagos: becoming the first Black individual creator to surpass 50 million YouTube subscribers. This feat coincided with his “Speed Daoes Africa” tour, which aimed to spotlight the continent's diverse cultures.

However, the visit sparked significant outrage on social media, with many accusing Speed of disrespect for not collaborating with local influencers. In widely-reported post, Speed clarified his intentions, emphasising that the tour prioritises cultural immersion over streamer partnerships.

Speed's arrival in Nigeria marked a pivotal moment in his career. Landing in Lagos as part of his multi-country Africa tour, he celebrated his birthday while streaming live, culminating in the subscriber milestone that cemented his status as a trailblazer.

The tour itself was designed to immerse Speed in authentic African experiences, from trying our jollof rice and issuing his approval, to visiting landmarks like the Nike Art Gallery.

The controversy erupted shortly after Speed’s departure from Nigeria, where his streams showcased local foods, dances, and everyday life but drew flak for perceived snubs. Social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), buzzed with reactions ranging from disappointment to outright condemnation. This episode has not only highlighted tensions between global and local creators but also ignited broader discussions about entitlement and professionalism in Nigeria's blooming digital space.

In his response to the backlash, shared via a widely-circulated X post, and also reported by Punch Newspapers, Speed set the record straight following the stream.

Speed explained that "the purpose of the tour is not streamer collaborations, but to showcase the culture of Africa’s countries — highlighting everyday people who are rarely seen, street performers with real talent, and local communities."

He made it clear that every stop on the tour is pre-planned, time-restricted, and carefully scheduled by his crew, with specific locations he must reach in each country, adding that many of the creators complaining already have platforms of their own, while this tour is about giving exposure to people who don’t.

Speed said he won’t cancel cultural visits or moments arranged by locals just to accommodate influencers, stressing that the goal is to put African culture on display for the world, not to centre the tour around content creators.

This approach contrasted sharply with what many Nigerians expected: a creator economy valued at billions of naira that often revolves around viral antics and celebrity crossovers. Speed's streams in other African nations, such as Kenya and Zimbabwe, were lauded for their seamless execution, further amplifying the positive global spotlight on the continent.

The backlash was swift and vocal. Nigerians on X expressed frustration over what they perceived as Speed's hostility towards local stars. Critics accused him of disrespect, with some highlighting chaotic scenes involving crowds, poor audio quality, and lagging streams due to infrastructure issues.

Entitlement also became a recurring theme in the discourse. Posts decried local influencers for clout-chasing and turning the visit into a spectacle. Others pointed to specific incidents, such as individuals in the stream demanding collaboration or money, which painted Nigeria in a poor light compared to smoother visits elsewhere.

See some reactions below:

The outrage extended beyond Speed's actions to internal reflections. Some users blamed gatekeeping in the local industry, where "a supposedly few big names have dominated and continue to dominate." This sentiment was amplified by comparisons to Speed's respectful engagements in other countries, where he avoided similar controversies. 

Speed’s visit, while celebratory on the surface, has mercilessly exposed the festering wounds in Nigeria's creator economy: degeneracy, superficiality, economic desperation, and a glaring lack of substance. 

Objectively, it revealed an industry where influencers prioritise personal gain over collective progress, turning a global opportunity into a beggar's banquet. 

The entitlement on display, the demands for collabs and handouts, the spotlight-stealing antics: all these stem from deeper systemic failures. Failures such as high levels of poverty that erode dignity, algorithms that reward uninspiring content like “shaking a$$" in studios and on TikTok live sessions, and an absence of infrastructure that leaves streams lagging in the dark.

In the bigger picture, this debacle underscores how Nigeria’s digital creators lag behind global standards. While Speed built his empire on consistency and value-driven storytelling by showcasing untapped talent and cultures, local players remain obsessed with fleeting virality. It is in this desperate quest for virality that stereotypes of Africa have been sadly perpetuated as chaotic and opportunistic. 

As Oritsejolomi Otomewo, a senior media analyst at Communiqué, explains to Pulse on Speed’s recent milestone and implications for value capture: 

“I don't think it says anything. Speed reaching 50m in Nigeria has nothing to do with Nigeria directly. He was always going to hit 50m at some point this year. Whether he was in Africa or not. It was just a happy accident that Nigerians being Nigerians ultimately capitalised on as evidence of some sort of superiority.”

This highlights our inability to truly harness exported attention, reducing local creators to ‘unpaid extras’ in a global narrative.

The global creator economy is projected to surge from approximately $205 billion (about ₦291.7 trillion) in 2024 to over $1.3 trillion (about ₦1,913 trillion) by 2033, growing at a CAGR of around 23.3%. 

Most Nigerians in the creator economy earn modestly, often treating it as a side hustle rather than a primary career. Key earnings data reveals an estimated 56% of Nigerian creators earn less than USD 100 (approx. ₦142,100) per month, while only 3% make over $5,000 (₦7.1 million) monthly.  On Instagram and TikTok, nano and micro-influencers (1,000–50,000 followers) generally charge between ₦5,000 and ₦250,000 ($3.50–$175) per sponsored post, depending on engagement. Meanwhile, Ad revenue (CPM) for Nigerian audiences is relatively low, typically ranging from USD 0.30 to USD 1.50 per 1,000 views. Outliers like Pastor Jerry Eze (₦7 billion over the years) exist, but the masses scrape by.

In hindsight, monetisation barriers compound this: TikTok's Creator Fund excludes Nigeria, Meta/Facebook offers low or zero earnings despite engagement, with restrictions from fraud concerns, FX issues, and platform takes of 15-30%. 

Additionally, gatekeeping in the local industry stifles innovation. An industry where ‘Who is your daddy’ dictates funding and opportunities cannot truly grow as expected, with dominant figures hoarding access in entertainment. Although digital platforms are slowly bypassing this.

On whether the performative chaos is a rational response to broken systems, Otomewo tells Pulse: “I'd say yes. What you call ‘performative chaos’ is just what Mr Beast does, just with a Nigerian flavour. And it creates spectacle, spectacles get views, and views get you paid.”

This frames the begging and stunts not as mere brain rot but as survival tactics in an economy with abysmal CPMs.

Yet escapism is not harmless relief, it is a narcotic. It dulls the pain of unemployment and political repression while mediocrity is paraded, sponsored, and monetised, leaving the creative economy rotting behind glossy brand campaigns, when true excellence exists.

 This exposure could be a catalyst, though Otomewo is skeptical, telling Pulse: “Speed’s visit just threw a spotlight on what we already know, we go crazy for global validation even without having the ability to absorb it. The question is, are we ready to do something about it. And from where I stand, the answer is no. So the bar remains in hell for the foreseeable future.” 

Creators must either evolve or be left behind. A good idea would be to pivot towards Nigeria’s 36 states and their obscenely underexploited cultural heritages, while investing in real production value and ethical monetisation rather than chasing cheap virality.

Government intervention is no longer optional. Serious tax incentives, structured training programmes, and intentional tourism branding are required to raise the bar from its current location, somewhere beneath hell. (For legal reasons, this is a joke.)

Regarding brand deals post-stunts such as Peller’s horse incident during Speed’s stream, Otomewo explains to Pulse: “It depends. Blue chip brands look for predictability, and creators that pose little to no reputational risks. And Peller is none of those things. But one thing he does have is reach. So he might still get betting brands and the likes. But the fact of the matter is that Peller appeals to a certain category of Nigerian, and depending on a brand's objectives, he might be the best option to reach that audience.”

Without reform, Nigeria will remain a punchline in the global creator economy, a country rich in talent yet addicted to clout over contribution, noise over progress. Speed’s tour did not manufacture the problem; it exposed rot, forcing an uncomfortable reckoning for anyone still serious about sustainable growth.