“Attention Is Today’s Oil”: Samuel Ogunkoya on Building Africa’s Digital Empire

Samuel Ogunkoya, the creative mind behind the digital platform Wahala Room, is reshaping the narrative of Africa’s digital branding space. Despite his reluctance to step into the spotlight, Ogunkoya acknowledges those working behind the curtains. “I don’t really like doing interviews, but I want to give a shout-out to the content creators and a lot of the great music executives that work behind the scenes,” he said.

With more than 12 billion Giphy views and 1.6 million Instagram followers, Ogunkoya’s rise has been defined by his ability to merge entertainment with personal connection. “It’s about more than just the music; it’s about connecting on a personal level and creating an experience that resonates with people,” he explained.

For Ogunkoya, digital numbers are not the ultimate prize. “Attention is today’s oil,” he declared, “but I’m more interested in what you build once you strike it.” His focus, he says, is on trust and long-term impact. “Our marketing formula was carefully crafted to give Afrobeat artists the best chance at making it big. It’s important for us to work strategically because Afrobeat musicians are competing against each other on a global level.”

Under his company WRE Global, Ogunkoya is expanding into technology and infrastructure. He has launched initiatives such as BetaCarry, a Lagos-based delivery app, and Duvaye, Africa’s first AI-powered local food calorie tracker. “Africa’s digital future will be owned by those who merge culture with infrastructure,” he noted.

Wahala Room, meanwhile, has become more than an entertainment hub. It now serves as a platform that bridges artists and audiences, amplifying Afrobeat voices on the global stage. “I want to continue building bridges between artists and their audience. It’s important that Afrobeat artists are also given the opportunity to be seen on major publications and blogs so they can have their fair share of exposure,” he said.

Far from being just another digital influencer, Ogunkoya envisions building Africa’s first multi-industry digital empire. “My mission is to capture culture and then build the systems around it—whether that’s media, delivery, or technology.”

With millions of views, a growing fanbase, and an expanding ecosystem of ventures, Ogunkoya’s journey is only beginning. “This is just the start,” he affirmed.