Ghanaian streamer Emmanuel Addo Boatey, popularly known as Kwekuaddo, has said building an online audience does not necessarily guarantee that a creator can make a sustainable living from streaming.
Kwekuaddo, who began pursuing streaming professionally in 2025, said he believed one of the challenges facing creators in Ghana was converting audience engagement into reliable income.
‘I don’t think so,’ he said when asked whether it was possible to make a sustainable living from streaming in Ghana.
He argued that subscription systems remained a challenge for some local audiences.
‘Ghanaian banks [are] not approving most of these subscriptions,’ he said, without providing further details.
The claim regarding banking and subscription approval could not be independently verified.
Kwekuaddo said his own streaming income came primarily through Twitch subscriptions and advertising revenue.
However, he said streaming was not his only source of income and that he also operated a clothing brand called Ogwama.
His comments highlight the financial uncertainty facing some creators attempting to turn online visibility into a full-time profession.
Kwekuaddo said creators could spend significant amounts on equipment, production and collaborations before reaching a stage where their income outweighed their investments.
‘Streaming actually pays, but you’ll invest more than you earn to get to a certain level,’ he said.
The streamer said he began with a mobile phone and gradually upgraded his equipment.
His first Twitch payout of about $150, he said, was the moment he began to believe streaming could become a career.
However, he said creators should not assume that investment alone would lead to success.
‘Investing into your streaming career doesn’t guarantee success,’ he said.
Kwekuaddo also argued that the way younger audiences consume entertainment was changing.
He said more people were spending time on their phones rather than watching conventional television, creating opportunities for livestreamers while also increasing competition.
For creators seeking to build careers in the digital economy, he said originality and creativity would be increasingly important.