Big Cabal Media
Big Cabal Media is a Lagos-based African digital media company operating TechCabal (tech news), Zikoko (youth culture), and TechCabal Insights (research), serving global advertisers, African brands, and roughly 16 million monthly readers across the continent.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLagos, Nigeria
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Big Cabal Media does
Big Cabal Media (BCM) is a Lagos-headquartered, privately held digital media company founded in 2014 by Bankole Oluwafemi and Seyi Taylor, operating a multi-brand portfolio that addresses two distinct African audience segments. Its flagship tech brand, TechCabal, functions as a leading technology publication reporting on the African tech ecosystem, while Zikoko targets Nigerian youth with culture, memes, and entertainment content; together they reach roughly 16 million users per month and over 280,000 combined newsletter subscribers. A third unit, TechCabal Insights, extends the business into data and custom research for development finance institutions, NGOs, financial institutions, governments, and global tech brands.
The company monetizes through four primary streams: digital advertising and branded content on owned websites and newsletters; ticket sales and sponsorships for a portfolio of owned events (Moonshot, a pan-African tech summit; Hertitude, a women's event; Burning Ram, a youth culture festival); professional services via Cabal Creative Studio covering video production, content creation, digital strategy, creative messaging, brand design, and research; and recurring research revenue from TC Insights. Go-to-market is hybrid, combining a direct sales motion to enterprise advertisers with event-led customer acquisition, and the client base spans Google, Meta, MTN, Mastercard, Spotify, YouTube, Gates Foundation, NITDA, and several leading African fintechs and banks.
BCM operates across owned digital platforms (TechCabal, Zikoko, TC Insights, Z! Memes), a Zikoko mobile app, email newsletters, social channels, and in-person events, with team members distributed across Africa and Europe. The company has raised approximately $2.9M in cumulative disclosed funding, including a $2.3M seed round in March 2022 led by MaC Venture Capital and Luminate Capital Partners, and underwent a restructuring with layoffs in 2023 before resuming growth signals through Moonshot 2025. Leadership is anchored by CEO Tomiwa Aladekomo, who joined in 2018 and assumed the chief executive role after founder Bankole Oluwafemi stepped down in 2020.
Big Cabal Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Cabal Media
- Legal name
- Big Cabal Media
- Website
- https://bigcabal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Big Cabal Media is a Lagos-based African digital media company operating TechCabal (tech news), Zikoko (youth culture), and TechCabal Insights (research), serving global advertisers, African brands, and roughly 16 million monthly readers across the continent.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Cabal Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Media Publishing
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (541810), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Graphic Design Services (541430)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA), B2B/ABM Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAI), Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)
Keywords
Where Big Cabal Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lagos
- HQ country
- Nigeria
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big Cabal Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising & Sponsorships: BCM generates revenue through digital advertising on its platforms (TechCabal, Zikoko) and event sponsorships. The company serves major brands including Google, MTN, Mastercard, Spotify, and others.
- Event Tickets & Sponsorships: Revenue from Moonshot conference, Hertitude women's events, and Burning Ram festival, including ticket sales and brand sponsorships.
- Professional Services: BCM offers video production, content creation, digital strategy & advisory, creative messaging, brand design, and research services to enterprise clients.
- Research Reports & Custom Research: TC Insights provides in-depth reports on market trends and the African tech sector, custom research, and data-driven insights for investors, policymakers, and businesses.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Big Cabal Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Cabal Media operates a portfolio of African digital media brands — TechCabal (tech journalism), Zikoko (Nigerian youth culture), Z! Memes and TechCabal Insights — monetized through advertising, sponsorships, newsletters, and ticketed events (Moonshot, Hertitude, Burning Ram). It additionally sells B2B services to enterprise clients, including branded video production, content creation, digital strategy and advisory, creative messaging, custom research and reports, and brand design through its Cabal Creative Studio.
Product overview
Big Cabal Media is a multi-platform African digital media company operating as a unified portfolio of media brands and services. The core brands include TechCabal (Africa's premier tech publication), Zikoko (Nigerian youth culture publication), and TechCabal Insights (data and intelligence company). The company also offers professional services including video production, content creation, digital strategy, creative messaging, research and brand design. Supporting products include Z! Memes, the TC Daily newsletter, and event properties like Moonshot (tech conference), Hertitude (women's event), and Burning Ram (festival). The portfolio is designed to serve Africa's young digital audience and the continent's tech ecosystem through in-depth coverage, cultural insights, data intelligence, and engaging events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TechCabal: Africa's premier tech publication providing in-depth reporting, analysis, and insights on the rapidly evolving tech landscape in Africa.
- Zikoko
- TechCabal Insights
Products and services
- TechCabal Africa's premier tech publication providing in-depth reporting, analysis, and insights on the African tech landscape. It reaches 4.9M+ users monthly, 441K+ social followers, and 180K+ newsletter subscribers, and serves as the editorial backbone for BCM's coverage of the African tech ecosystem.
- Zikoko Youth culture publication capturing the pulse of Nigerian youth culture with vibrant and relatable content, from memes to deep dives into societal issues. Reaches 11M+ users monthly, 706K+ social followers, and 101K+ newsletter subscribers.
- TechCabal Insights Data and insights company providing custom research, data analytics, and case studies on Africa's digital economy for DFIs, NGOs, financial institutions, state governments, global tech brands, investors and African startups.
- Z! Memes A dedicated memes platform from Zikoko featuring hilarious and relatable Nigerian youth culture memes, serving as a sub-brand content channel under the Zikoko umbrella.
- Moonshot by TechCabal Annual conference and ticketed event that brings together Africa's tech ecosystem to network, collaborate, share insights, and celebrate innovation on the continent. Attracts over 4,000 guests from more than 15 African countries and offers sponsorship packages to enterprise brands.
- Hertitude Annual event for women in Nigeria organized by Zikoko, offering ticketed gatherings to make new friends, party, and celebrate their strengths. Has welcomed over 4,000 women from across Nigeria since 2022.
- Burning Ram A festival from Zikoko focused on meat, music and youth, celebrating Nigeria's best local and professional barbecue practitioners, street culture, and inspiring underground and alternative music. The festival has drawn 3,000+ attendees and 45+ exhibitors.
- Video Production & Execution Professional video production services designed to amplify brands' voices and reach Africa's young and growing digital audience through engaging video content, delivered by Cabal Creative Studio.
- Content Creation High-quality, original content production tailored to tell stories that resonate with target audiences, helping brands connect with Africa's young digital audience on a deeper level.
- Digital Strategy & Advisory Strategic insights and guidance to help brands maximize their online presence and achieve business goals in the digital landscape, including African market entry and audience engagement strategies.
- Creative Messaging Compelling creative messaging services that help brands stand out in crowded markets by capturing brand essence and leaving lasting impacts on African audiences.
- Research, Reports & Strategy Ideas Comprehensive custom research reports and strategic insights to help brands, investors, and policymakers understand market trends, consumer behavior, and industry dynamics for data-driven decisions in Africa's digital economy.
- Brand Design & Management Brand identity creation and management from logo design to brand strategy, ensuring consistent communication of brand core values and messages across all channels.
- Cabal Creative Studio In-house creative studio that delivers BCM's branded content services including video production, content creation, creative messaging and brand design to enterprise clients.
- Next Wave TV TechCabal's TV show exploring tech and innovation, expanding BCM's video content offerings.
Quantifiable outcome
- 11 Million+ monthly reach for youth audience
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Big Cabal Media
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Big Cabal Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Big Cabal Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Big Cabal Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rest of World: Digital media outlet covering technology's impact outside the Western core, with a strong Africa focus. Directly comparable to TechCabal as a tech publication targeting emerging-market audiences and selling branded content to global advertisers.
- Stears Business: Nigerian data-and-insights company producing original reporting and paid research on African business and economics. Directly comparable to TechCabal Insights and to BCM's combination of editorial plus subscription research.
- Techpoint Africa: Nigerian tech publication covering startups, funding, and the African tech ecosystem. Directly comparable to TechCabal in editorial scope, audience (tech professionals, founders, investors), and advertiser base.
- Quartz Africa: Africa-focused edition of Quartz covering business, tech, and innovation across the continent. Directly comparable to TechCabal in editorial positioning and in selling branded content to multinational advertisers.
Regional players
- Punch Nigeria: One of Nigeria's largest legacy news brands with a large youth-skewing digital audience. Regional competitor to Zikoko in the Nigerian mass-market news/entertainment category, but with a much older, legacy positioning.
- Premium Times Nigeria: Nigerian investigative news outlet with strong digital reach and government/policy coverage. Comparable as a Nigerian digital publisher monetizing through advertising and branded content, though with a politics-led rather than tech/youth editorial mix.
- Nation Media Group: East Africa's largest media house operating print, broadcast, and digital properties across Kenya and the region. Regional incumbent comparable in multi-brand portfolio and event-driven monetization, though geographically anchored to East Africa rather than West Africa.
- Arena Holdings: South African media group operating titles like Business Day and the Sunday Times. Comparable as a multi-brand African publisher with paid subscriptions, events, and B2B services, though operating primarily in Southern Africa.
Broad incumbents
- The Information: Subscription-based tech publication targeting professionals and investors. Comparable as a tech-focused, subscription-supported news brand monetizing via high-value B2B subscribers, but globally focused rather than Africa-specific.
- TechCrunch: Global flagship tech publication covering startups, funding, and the tech industry. Broad incumbent in the same editorial category as TechCabal but serving a global rather than African audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Big Cabal Media social profiles
Digital presenceBig Cabal Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Cabal Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Big Cabal Media subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Big Cabal Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Cabal Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big Cabal Media
What does Big Cabal Media do?
Big Cabal Media operates a portfolio of African digital media brands — TechCabal (tech journalism), Zikoko (Nigerian youth culture), Z! Memes and TechCabal Insights — monetized through advertising, sponsorships, newsletters, and ticketed events (Moonshot, Hertitude, Burning Ram). It additionally sells B2B services to enterprise clients, including branded video production, content creation, digital strategy and advisory, creative messaging, custom research and reports, and brand design through its Cabal Creative Studio.
Is Big Cabal Media a public or private company?
Big Cabal Media is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Big Cabal Media founded?
Big Cabal Media was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Big Cabal Media based?
Big Cabal Media is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, in the Africa region.
How does Big Cabal Media make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Advertising & Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are event Tickets & Sponsorships, professional Services and research Reports & Custom Research.
Who are Big Cabal Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rest of World, Stears Business, Techpoint Africa and Quartz Africa. Regional players are Punch Nigeria, Premium Times Nigeria, Nation Media Group and Arena Holdings. Broad incumbents are The Information and TechCrunch.
Does Big Cabal Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Cabal Media.
What industry is Big Cabal Media in?
Big Cabal Media's product category is Digital Media Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAADAC, Technology & B2B PR, with a secondary code of MPAAALAA, B2B / Industrial Market Research. Its NAICS code is 541810 and its SIC code is 7311.