Director Phil Karanja of Philit Productions believes that a significant hurdle for African creators, particularly in Kenya, is the prevalent issue of underpricing their goods and services.
Speaking during a segment of the Big 6 Roundtable podcast, Karanja articulated how this deep-seated economic reality prevents local productions from competing effectively on the international stage, despite utilizing world-class equipment.
“If there’s one conversation that’s very hot in Kenya and Africa, it’s on pricing, and this is the reality of things in Africa and Kenya. A lot of the goods and services that I forget what we do everything else are underpriced by almost 50% sometimes even 60%. Like everything we buy in this country is largely underpriced,” Karanja highlighted a striking discrepancy in the market.
This pervasive undervaluation of local productions is a core challenge. To illustrate his point, Karanja drew a direct comparison between local events and global spectacles.
When staging an event in Kenya, the equipment used—ranging from speakers, lights, and microphones to cables—is often the same equipment someone like Beyonce will use. The brands are identical.
However, the crucial difference lies in the pricing structure.
“It’s the same branding, but how much does she charge for her ticket price, and how much do we charge because of where we are? It will always feel a bit expensive for our audience. But it’s because of the country we are in, because right now the cameras we are using, the lights we are using are the same ones on a film set in Hollywood.”
According to him, this pricing gap, driven by geographical market realities, directly impacts revenue and sustainability for African creators.
“We are not too pricey; I think it’s the market. We were just born in the wrong country,” he added.
Karanja explained that the inherent market dynamics make it challenging for African creators to recoup their investments and compete on an even playing field with international counterparts who operate in markets with higher pricing thresholds for comparable quality and production value.
To him, the continuous underpricing means that despite producing content with professional-grade tools, the financial returns are significantly lower, thereby limiting growth, investment, and ultimately, international competitiveness.
by moses sagwe
