LUSAKA, Zambia — A Zambian startup, Lemon, is aiming to unlock the creative economy for marginalized talent across Africa through its content monetization platform.
Founded by Musonda Mwaka Mwiche, Lemon is designed to help African creators monetize their work, which often faces challenges due to limited digital infrastructure, visibility, and financial access. The platform allows creatives to showcase their work, receive direct support from their audience, and fundraise via a mobile-friendly interface that supports both card and mobile money payments.
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“Our flagship product is called Buy Me a Drink, which works like GoFundMe. It allows fans to directly support creators they love,” Mwiche said. “This solution removes the middlemen and puts power back in the hands of the creatives.”
Getting started on Lemon involves artists and creators signing up, accessing a dashboard, customizing a support button, and sharing the link across their networks. Fans can then donate with a tap, making support quick and direct.
Starting with 12 creators, Lemon has expanded to over 500 users and is in discussions to expand to Malawi, with further plans for other African markets. The company emphasizes creating local solutions for local challenges.
“In Africa, being unbanked remains a huge challenge for digital monetization. That’s why we’re integrating localized payment options and soon, we’ll be rolling out USSD to reach even creators without smartphones,” Mwiche noted.
Mwiche highlighted the role of initiatives like 40 Days 40 FinTechs in providing visibility, market expansion opportunities, and technical mentorship for startups like Lemon.
Lemon was featured on Day 19 of the 40 Days 40 FinTechs Zambia and Malawi edition, organized by HiPipo in partnership with the COMESA Business Council. The program, which has showcased over 200 FinTechs from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda, aims to promote financial inclusion by highlighting transformative innovations.
The initiative also connects FinTechs with global financial tools and systems, such as the Level One Project principles and Mojaloop Open Source Software, to help them build inclusive and scalable solutions for underserved communities.
Through Lemon, African creators aim to convert their talent into income and their passion into prosperity.
