Learnstar: A platform for young creatives in Nigeria

2026-02-24 - 00:05

By Onyeka Ezike Nigeria is rapidly cementing its reputation as a creative hub for young talents, bolstered by the growing influence of edtech companies such as Learnstar, an online education platform offering a curriculum uniquely tailored to Africa’s needs. The company recently hosted its 2.0 Creative Summit, an event that brought together young minds between the ages of 18 and 35 to discuss the future of Nigeria’s creative economy. The event was designed to foster an enabling environment in which young creatives can not only thrive in the creative space but also contribute meaningfully to Africa’s broader economic growth. The event was held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Founded by Kshitij Sainani, Learnstar connects talented young Africans with industry leaders through a blend of software and hardware solutions, facilitating access to learning, mentorship, and community development. Sainani describes the platform as Africa’s first premium learning platform that spans both education and entertainment. Courses on the platform are delivered by well-known industry figures and cover disciplines within the creative economy, including music, fashion, sports, and entertainment. “We have educational courses for the creative economy, courses like music, entertainment, sports, and fashion. These courses are facilitated by celebrity figures such as Dr. Jeremiah Ogbodo, popularly known as Swanky Jerry, the acclaimed fashion designer; Asa Asika, manager of Afrobeats star Davido; and Johnny Jane, a superstar musician,” Sainani said. According to data from the Mastercard Foundation and Jobbersman, the creative economy ranked as the fourth largest contributor to Nigeria’s GDP in 2024–2025. Learnstar projects a significant expansion of the sector, forecasting growth toward $100 billion within the next five years. Sainani identified access to capital as one of the most pressing challenges currently facing the industry. “The challenge on both the creative and corporate sides is that capital exists within the corporate space, but there is no clear channel connecting it to the creative space, and creatives face the same barrier in reverse. Musicians, painters, and artisans often do not know where to access funding. If we, as a community, can build an ecosystem that brings both worlds together where they can meet, learn, and network, we believe the capital will follow,” he said. On the subject of corporate social responsibility, Sainani highlighted the company’s “Skill Up” programme, sponsored by AIICO Insurance. The initiative aims to train 3,000 youths, and through the partnership with AIICO Insurance, 1,000 fully funded scholarships have already been made available to talented creatives on the Learnstar platform. The summit featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including Oluwasegun Francis Ogungbemi, Community Manager at CC Hub; Oluwafemi Olanrewaju, Community Manager at Learnstar; Puffy Tee, a producer, mentor, and culture builder; Fisayo Fosudo, a technology and finance content creator and digital entrepreneur; recording artist Alpha P; and Chukwuemeka Ezechukwu, CEO of Fundmey. Ogungbemi underscored the critical role of community in the creative industry, noting that belonging to a community gives creatives access to opportunities, credibility, and networks that would otherwise be out of reach. “A person cannot thrive in isolation. One of the core problems that a healthy community solves is exactly that of isolation. Community is not optional; it is essential,” he said. Temi Toba, Technical Director at Learnstar, emphasized that the platform was built by creatives, for creatives, with the goal of making access to quality mentorship and training a reality for young people. “What we intend to do is bring creatives who have mastered their craft to the top of their careers, and have them transfer their skills and knowledge to those coming up the ladder, guiding them from beginner to influencer,” Toba said. He also pointed to a structural gap within the creative sector that Learnstar seeks to address. “Unlike professions such as medicine or law, which are governed by unified regulatory bodies, the creative sector lacks such a unifying structure. At Learnstar, we want to fill that gap and provide the framework that talented individuals in the creative space deserve.”