Ronny Kitio, a Cameroonian computer scientist, is using tech to shake up the African music industry. He created Colorfol, a digital platform that serves as a home for music, videos, and podcasts from Francophone Africa.

Kitio, who graduated in fundamental computer science from the University of Yaoundé 1, founded Colorfol in 2019. He launched it to respond to the specific needs of artists and fans in the region. The platform allows users to discover, stream, and legally buy African music, while giving independent artists visibility and fair income.

“Our goal is to create a user-friendly platform that responds to the specific needs of our markets in Francophone Africa,” Kitio said in 2024. “We want to encourage fans to buy music directly from the artists, thus offering instant monetization for them. We are committed to ensuring fair compensation by allocating 70% of revenues to the artists.”

Colorfol doesn’t stop at music. The platform also features video content, podcasts, and digital ticketing for concerts, showcases, and other cultural events. This positions Colorfol as a full-service hub for both fans and professionals in the African music ecosystem.

Before launching Colorfol, Kitio founded ColorTechnology in 2017, a tech company where he worked as CEO, analyst, and developer. He started his career in 2011 at EMEKA Distribution in Cameroon as a maintenance technician. In 2014, he joined Camtel as a network technician, then moved to Orca Cameroon in 2015 as IT manager.

Kitio’s innovation has earned international recognition. In 2019, he won a spot in the AYADALAB program organized by the French and Goethe Institutes. That same year, he was a finalist in the African Application Launchpad competition. In 2020, he won Best Francophone African Startup from the International Organisation of La Francophonie. In 2021, the French Institute awarded him the IFC Innovation Label.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum