Brick by brick, Tumelo Moema is building her Pan-African empire one campaign at a time.
“There is no true social revolution without the liberation of women.” These words from Thomas Sankara echo through Tumelo’s work, not just in sentiment but in practice.
Her agency, Hayani Africa, is a borderless home for African talent, rooted in integrity, purpose, and people.
Having earned her stripes in the polished boardrooms of Primedia and the global stages, Tumelo’s path has been filled with lessons and triumph. Yet, every twist was intentional. Before founding Hayani, she had already carved out a reputation as a licensing virtuoso, managing household names and crafting brand campaigns with surgical precision. But at her core, she remained a builder. A connector. A believer in African excellence on African terms.
Hayani, meaning home in Tshivenda, is reimagining what a talent agency could be. With its poetic brand name, it aims to connect the continent making collaboration its manifesto. “Creatives need safety to thrive,” Tumelo explains. “They need to focus on what they do best while we handle the rest, legals, contracts, negotiations. We create a home where talent can breathe.”
The rebrand from Hayani Creative Management to Hayani Africa was a declaration of scale and intent. “I grew up believing in a borderless Africa,” she says. “Hayani had to reflect that vision. I work with creatives across the continent, designers, animators, stylists, performers. The work is Pan-African because the talent is Pan-African.”
Tumelo’s approach to talent is refreshingly human. She curates partnerships based on what she calls “human economics.” Fame doesn’t impress her; kindness does. “I choose people who are respected by their peers, who care about their communities. I’m in the business of strategic storytelling, and for a story to resonate, the person behind it must have something real to say.”
From Trevor Stuurman to Zozi Tunzi, Tumelo has helped shape brands that have impact on a global scale. But her method remains intimate. “Everyone I work with has been referred to me. I always say, just because someone picks you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pick them back. We’re building legacies.”
She speaks with the clarity of someone who’s learned from both failure and fire. Having launched Hayani in the depths of the 2020 lockdown, Tumelo transitioned from freelance hustler to founder with global ambitions. Now, she leads a growing team spread across the continent. “Leadership for me starts with listening. People want to be heard and seen. If you get that right, the rest follows.”
In an industry obsessed with virality and quick wins, Tumelo is playing the long game. Her philosophy is rooted in redefining success for African creatives, on their terms, not through the gaze of the global North. “What happens to your craft when there’s no brand attached?
If you’re a writer, what do you write when there’s no publisher calling? That’s where authenticity lives.”
She’s also frank about the toll the work can take. Mental health, she says, isn’t a buzzword, it’s survival. Her routine includes Pilates, Muay Thai, therapy, and music. “Music is my everything ,” she laughs. “It’s how I reset. It’s how I return to myself.”
As for advice to young creatives? “Read more. Doubt doesn’t always mean don’t. Trust your gut, and if you must fail, fail forward.” Her voice carries the weight of someone who’s failed forward many times, and kept moving.
Hayani Africa is fast becoming a blueprint for what a conscious creative agency can look like. It’s 100% Black-owned, fiercely anti-xenophobic, and unapologetically Pan-African. “Our way of doing business is inclusive, we build systems. Culture, commerce, consciousness. That’s our triangle.”
Where too many creatives are told to shrink to fit, Tumelo is expanding the frame.One campaign. One collaboration. One continent at a time.
Words by Takudzwa Nyambi
