PINCHED Lets African Creators Keep 90% to 97% of What They Earn, Paid Through Naira Rails

Ask an independent director, writer or event organiser in Lagos, Nairobi or Accra what their income looks like, and the answer usually has the same shape. The work gets attention, the clips travel, the congratulations arrive, and then most of the money and all of the audience data sit with somebody else. PINCHED was built to change that arrangement for African creators, and this is what it offers.

Where the Money Goes

On long-form video, YouTube keeps 45% of ad revenue and pays the creator 55%. In Nigerian cinemas, once taxes, the cinema and distributor shares and distribution fees are taken out, producers typically end up with roughly 30% to 40% of the box office gross. Even the platforms built for creators add their own cut on top of payment fees.

PINCHED publishes its split on the pricing page. The free plan keeps 90% of sales with the creator. Pro at ₦5,000 a month keeps 92%, Studio at ₦10,000 keeps 94% and Exclusive at ₦20,000 keeps 97%. Larger organisations can negotiate rates on the Enterprise plan. Earnings show up in the creator's balance as soon as a sale clears, and withdrawals are processed the next business day.

Why Naira Cards Struggle on Dollar Checkouts

Most foreign creator tools price in dollars, so a fan paying with a Naira card has to clear their bank's foreign spending limit. Those limits are set bank by bank and vary widely: Stanbic IBTC has capped Naira debit cards at $100 a month, Access Bank at $2,000 to $3,000 a month depending on the card, and GTBank at $20,000 a quarter. A fan whose bank sits at the low end can see the payment fail at the last step, and the creator loses a sale they had already earned.

PINCHED payments run through Interswitch, which accepts local Naira cards on Verve, Mastercard and Visa, bank transfer and USSD, as well as international cards. Fans in Nigeria pay in Naira, and supporters abroad can pay with their own cards. Nobody has to open a domiciliary account to buy a ticket or support a creator.

Followers You Do Not Own

A hundred thousand Instagram followers is a contact list that someone else controls. When an algorithm changes, or an account is flagged, that reach can vanish. You cannot export a follower's email address from TikTok, and you cannot message a YouTube subscriber directly.

On PINCHED, supporters who buy, download or pinch are stored in the creator's own dashboard, with their names, emails and transaction history. That list belongs to the creator and moves with them.

One Place Instead of Four Tools

A typical independent creator juggles a newsletter service, a store for downloads, a ticketing site and a tipping tool. Every redirect between them is a chance for a fan to give up. PINCHED puts the pieces under one profile:

• A marketplace for digital products, courses and tickets, available on Pro and above

• Give a Pinch, which lets fans support a creator with a one-time or monthly contribution, with a 90% share going to the creator

• Ticketing where buyers never pay extra, so the price on the flyer is the price at checkout

• An offline door scanner, so entry works at a packed venue even when the network drops

• An affiliate programme, where promoters share a tracking link and the revenue split lands in their wallet automatically

• Natural-sounding audio narration in two Nigerian voices, Obinna and Ngozi, so a long read can be a commute listen

What Creators Can Sell

The biggest unused asset for many filmmakers is everything around the finished film. Streamers license the picture, and the screenplay drafts, lookbooks, colour grading packs, budget templates and sound stems stay on a hard drive. Independent studios are already building beyond the single release, as OGWA Studios did when it marked its first year with four short films, a documentary and a new publishing arm. A marketplace listing turns that kind of material into something fans and students can buy directly.

Getting Started

Creators can apply at staypinched.site, set up a profile and publish for free. The paid plans add the marketplace and ticketing from Pro, then AI tools and team seats from Studio, as a creator grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Percentage Do Creators Keep on PINCHED?

90% on the free plan, 92% on Pro, 94% on Studio and 97% on Exclusive. Fan contributions through Give a Pinch settle at 90% to the creator and 10% to the platform on every plan.

Does PINCHED Charge Ticket Buyers Extra Fees?

No. Buyers never pay extra, so the ticket price shown is the price charged at checkout.

How Do Fans Pay on PINCHED?

Through Interswitch, with local Naira cards, bank transfer and USSD, plus international cards for supporters abroad.

Which Plan Do I Need to Sell Tickets and Digital Products?

Pro and above. The free plan covers unlimited publishing, a creator page and basic analytics.

Who Can Apply?

African creators. Applications are open at staypinched.site.