Africa’s digital landscape is preparing for a bold new entrant, LekeeLekee, an African-built social media platform and super app designed to challenge the global dominance of U.S. and Chinese tech giants. Developed in Nigeria by THISDAY/ARISE Media Group, the platform positions itself as a fast, lightweight, high-performance alternative built specifically for African users, creators, and network realities.
Unveiled by media mogul Prince Nduka Obaigbena on November 13, 2025, during his keynote speech at the 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference in Abuja, LekeeLekee is being framed not just as another app, but as a declaration of digital sovereignty.
What Is LekeeLekee?
LekeeLekee (stylized in various forms such as lekeelekee or Leekeeleekee) is an upcoming African social media platform designed to merge social networking, creator tools, messaging, payments, and mini-apps into one powerful ecosystem.
The name draws inspiration from the Yoruba word “lekeleke”, referring to the elegant white egret bird, a symbol of purity, freedom, and African stories rising beyond borders.
Its creators envision it as a platform where African voices finally take center stage.
The People Behind the Platform
- Founder / Key Visionary:
Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Newspapers and ARISE News Channel.
Known for his influential presence in African media, Obaigbena describes LekeeLekee as a necessary corrective to decades of foreign control over African digital spaces. - Company:
LekeeLekee Technologies Limited
Registered in Nigeria
RC: 8622032
Headquarters: Abuja
As of November 15, 2025, the company remains lean and strategic, with limited public details on funding, engineering talent, or long-term product roadmap, a sign of its early but ambitious stage.
Mission: Ending “Social Media Imperialism”
Obaigbena’s message is clear: global platforms have extracted African data, monetized African creativity, and shaped African online discourse, without being built for African contexts.
LekeeLekee’s mission is to change that.
The platform’s vision includes:
Digital sovereignty for Africans
Ownership of data, infrastructure, and content within the continent.
Fair amplification of African voices
No algorithmic suppression or bias against African content.
Building for African realities
Low bandwidth, unstable connections, and expensive data.
Engineering promises include:
- 10x speed optimization
- Ultra low-data usage
- High-performance feeds
- Lightweight architecture
Keeping value within Africa
Rather than foreign companies monetizing African content, LekeeLekee aims to ensure that creators, advertisers, and users benefit directly.
Planned Features: A True “Super App” for Africa
Though still in development, the platform is expected to include:
1. Social Media Core
- Short and long videos
- Timeline feeds
- Channels and communities
2. Messaging
- Direct chat
- Group chats
- Possibly encrypted communications
3. Creator Monetization
- Ads
- Subscriptions
- Brand tools
- Local ad networks
4. Payments + Mini-Apps
Inspired by WeChat and emerging African fintech:
- P2P payments
- Wallet integration
- Merchant tools
- Mini-app ecosystem for startups and services
5. Safety and Moderation
The founders emphasize:
- Stronger trust systems
- Clear moderation guidelines
- Culturally aware content policies
The overall goal is a platform built with Africans and for Africans.
Launch Status (as of November 15, 2025)
LekeeLekee is currently in private beta.
There is:
- No public app
- No official app store listing
- No leaked screenshots
- A waitlist available on the website
Expected Public Release:
January 2026
(Confirmed during the November 13–15 media rounds)
Official Website:
https://www.lekeelekee.com/
Currently a minimalist landing page featuring:
- A waitlist sign-up
- The brand manifesto
- Basic feature previews
- Terms of service
Media Coverage and Public Reaction
Since the announcement, Nigerian media outlets, including THISDAY, Vanguard, Punch, Arise, Legit.ng, and others, have covered LekeeLekee positively, framing it as a bold step toward African digital independence.
On X (formerly Twitter):
Reactions have been a mix of:
- Support:
“This is the kind of initiative Africa needs.” - Curiosity:
“Let’s see how far this can go.” - Humor/Skepticism:
“LekeeLekee? Can we pronounce it three times fast?”
“Can we really compete with Meta and TikTok?”
Notably, LekeeLekee has no official X account yet, and most posts are user-shared clips and articles.
The Bigger Picture
LekeeLekee enters the scene at a time when:
- AI is reshaping global platforms
- African creators are seeking fair compensation
- Data sovereignty debates are rising
- Global platforms continue to dominate African digital economies
If LekeeLekee delivers on its promises, it could:
- Disrupt the social media landscape
- Give Africans a global voice on an African-owned platform
- Create new creator economies
- Drive investments in local tech infrastructure
But the challenges are equally significant:
- Competing with trillion-dollar global companies
- Scaling infrastructure
- Ensuring security and trust
- Winning user adoption on a massive scale
Conclusion
LekeeLekee represents one of the most ambitious attempts to build a truly African social media ecosystem — one designed for African realities, values, and aspirations.
Whether it becomes a continental powerhouse or a niche experiment will depend on execution, technology, and user trust. But one thing is clear: the conversation around African digital sovereignty has officially begun.
