Twitch steamer and gamer Darren Watkins Jr, popularly known as iShowSpeed, is touring Africa. The 28-day tour Speed Does Africa is taking place across 20 countries with plans to showcase African culture, explore local attractions and meet with fans.
Beginning on Dec. 29, 2025, Speed started his journey with Algeria, with plans to follow it by visiting Angola, Benin, Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The schedule can be found on his social media for additional information or changes.
Mixed reactions are emerging in response to the event, with many commenting in surprise at Africa’s development and others welcoming Speed. Viewers are shocked to say the least.
“I genuinely had no idea Ethiopia looked like this,” one viewer noted.
The ‘Speed Does Africa’ tour is shattering long-standing Western stereotypes, and everything is being streamed to Speed’s young fanbase, helping to inform a new generation. While previous stops in South Africa and Rwanda were filled with high energy and viral sightings, Speed’s presence in Nairobi, Kenya, has been a record-breaking turning point for the streamer.
The Nairobi leg of the tour didn’t just trend, it dominated. More than 200,000 viewers joined the stream at once, setting a record for one of the biggest live audiences ever for a YouTuber. Within hours of landing, Speed’s subscriber count on YouTube surpassed 48 million, as he gained over 360,000 subscribers in just one stream. The atmosphere of Kenyatta Market provided a raw and unfiltered look at a side of Africa that many viewers admitted they had never seen on mainstream news.
The tour is massive, not only in the number of supporters, but also cultural exchange. Viewers are struck by complex infrastructure and organized public spaces, leading many to question the poverty narrative often associated with the continent.
As the tour enters its final stretch, anticipation is building for his stops in Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco. Rumors are already swirling about a potential 100m sprint against Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, and trip to the Great Pyramids.
Whether he is streaming high-stakes matches of Fortnite, collaborating with fellow creators or meeting with prime ministers, Speed continues to show that his influence transcends gaming. By bringing his signature energy to 20 different nations, he is building invaluable cultural bridges. ‘Speed Does Africa’ has represented a shift in how the media perceives foreign countries and serves as a reminder that just a little bit of humor and chaos can travel a long way.
