Between 2020 and 2025, the West African audiovisual landscape underwent a veritable digital revolution. In Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, changing habits, driven by an explosion in mobile connectivity, prompted television channels to invest heavily in social media platforms to attract a young, connected audience hungry for short, funny, or interactive content. This report explores how these channels have adapted their strategies, what content they favor, and what results they are achieving in this new era of television 2.0.
The revolution in usage
Between 2020 and 2025, internet usage jumped by 26.6% in Senegal to reach 79% of daily internet users and by 31.3% in Côte d'Ivoire to reach 55% of daily internet users.
While in 2019 Facebook's supremacy was only challenged by WhatsApp, in 2025 the situation is quite different: WhatsApp is now the most widely used platform in both Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, while TikTok, which barely existed in 2019, is now followed by 82% of Senegalese and 61% of Ivorians. Facebook has fallen to 54% in Senegal and remains at 80% in Côte d'Ivoire.
These disparities, which are more related to the digital and audiovisual history of the two countries than to criteria related to Internet users, also explain the position of television channels in the TOP 10 platforms.
Ivory Coast: the boldness of private television channels
The arrival of new channels such as NCI, Life TV, La 3, and A+IVOIRE has revitalized the sector. They occupy the top spots on Facebook and TikTok, thanks to creative content that is often short, interactive, and tailored to Generation Z. On Facebook, these channels focus on promotion through trailers or posters for upcoming programs, or short clips from programs that have already aired, banking on virality and engagement. On TikTok, they ride the wave of trends, challenges, and humor to boost their visibility.
Thus, the "new" Ivorian channels NCI, LIFE TV, LA 3, and A+IVOIRE occupy the top spots on Facebook and TikTok among all channels.
Top 5 Ivorian and Senegalese channels on Facebook and TikTok
FACEBOOK TIKTOK
(Number of followers or subscribers—Senegalese channels in italics)
NCI 3,900,000 LIFE TV 2,600,000
LIFE TV 2,300,000 MARODI TV 2,400,000
LA 3 2,300,000 NCI 1,700,000
A+ IVOIRE 2,000,000 2STV 831,000
RTI INFO 1,800,000 A+ IVOIRE 721,000
Senegal: The Power of Long-Form Content on YouTube
In Senegal, YouTube is the realm of local channels.
MARODI TV, which has placed YouTube at the heart of its strategy for many years, is breaking all records with 7.7 million subscribers out of a total population of 18 million. Six Senegalese channels have over a million subscribers on YouTube, while in Côte d'Ivoire, only NCI has reached this threshold.
On Facebook, Senegalese channels (RTS1, TFM, 2STV, SenTV) mainly broadcast long-form content: news programs, magazines, and live shows that can last several hours. This strategy aims to build loyalty among an audience that complements that of the small screen.
TOP 5 YOUTUBE
(Number of subscribers—Senegalese channels in italics)
MARODI TV 7,700,000
TFM 2,940,000
2STV 2,660,000
NCI 1,490,000
WALFADJIRI 1,450,000
What content for what objectives?
Analysis of content published on different platforms highlights disparities in approach among television channels.
Some use Facebook solely to inform their followers about upcoming programs and events and to whet their appetite with trailers or short clips from past or future shows. This is the case with NCI, A+IVOIRE, 7 INFO, and MARODI TV, which use Facebook primarily as a promotional and marketing tool.
Other channels systematically broadcast their flagship programs (news, magazines) live and in full. These channels seem to be more interested in attracting additional viewers or consider live broadcasting to be a complementary service to TV.
RTI, for example, broadcasts the 1 p.m. news on RTI1 live every day.
This is common practice in Senegal, as RTS1, TFM, 2STV, and SenTV almost exclusively broadcast long-form content lasting up to two or three hours.
Finally, other channels mix and match, posting both lots of live broadcasts and trailers or promotional posters for their upcoming programs.
This is the case with Life TV and La 3 in Ivory Coast, or Walfadjiri in Senegal.
Monetization and economic challenges
Social media presence is not just a question of audience or marketing: it also responds to the search for new economic models.
On YouTube, monetization via the Partner Program is already effective in Senegal; in Ivory Coast, negotiations with Google are continuing to ensure optimal supervision.
On Facebook and Instagram, direct monetization is still limited by platform policies, but channels are banking on visibility to attract sponsors and local advertisers. TikTok, meanwhile, remains primarily a tool for building brand awareness, although collaborations with influencers are opening up new commercial opportunities.
Although WhatsApp is now the most widely used platform, its use by television channels is still in its infancy. Only RTS1 in Senegal is recognized as a pioneer, using WhatsApp to broadcast news and interact with its audience. Elsewhere, experimentation continues, particularly around community groups and the distribution of exclusive content.