Selar Vs. Mainstack: How a banner ad exposed ‘toxic’ rivalry over a $30B creator market

Lagos’ Landmark Event Centre hosts The Moment 2026 from March 13–15, a conference Mainstack curated to solidify its position as the operating system for the African creator economy. 

But the event has become the trigger for one of the most explosive public feuds in the Nigerian tech scene this year, pitting the market incumbent, Selar, against its ambitious challenger, Mainstack.

Large, eye-catching billboards featuring the Selar logo with taglines like “Create with intention” and “Create what sells” were seen at the venue ahead of the gathering.

While the move has been described as an event “crash”, Selar CEO Douglas Kendyson said they had disclosed their competitive nature to the venue operators, who vetted and approved the placement. 

“A little of playful competition never hurts anyone,” Selar said in statement amidst the controversy.

Mainstack reportedly lodged complaints, leading to the swift removal of the billboards.

The rival brands

Founded in 2016 by Douglas Kendyson, a former engineer at Paystack and Flutterwave, Selar has built its reputation as the “reliable infrastructure” of the African creator economy. 

It has remained largely bootstrapped, focusing on high-volume digital product sales (e-books, courses, event tickets). With over 2 million users and more than $26 million in payouts, Selar positions itself as a robust tool that simply works.

Mainstack, on the other hand, markets itself as an all-in-one operating system for the modern digital entrepreneur. Founded in 2022 by Ayobami Oyaleke and Olamide Akinola, its aesthetic-heavy approach, combined with link-in-bio tools, booking calendars, and global payment features, frames it as a lifestyle product rather than just a store builder.

The receipts and the PR war

The friction intensified significantly at The Moment 2026 with the unveiling of Milton Tutu, Selar’s former CMO, as Mainstack’s new CMO. The announcement triggered a wave of X posts, using identical scripts like, “So, I guess I am moving with Milton Tutu to Mainstack.”

Kendyson responded with a thread on X, labeling these posts as a “cheap coordinated PR attack.” He also dropped a bombshell regarding Tutu’s departure, stating, “He was fired.” 

He further alleged that Mainstack had been orchestrating misinformation campaigns, including disparaging remarks about Selar’s charges, payouts, and product quality.

Is the market big enough?

This feud underscores the growing pains of an African creator economy projected to grow from roughly $5 billion in 2025 to nearly $30 billion by 2032.

As competition for creators intensifies, platforms appear to be utilizing aggressive marketing tactics, talent poaching, and ambassador loyalty programs to build a moat around their user base. 

While users—who benefit from better UI, lower fees, and improved service—may ultimately be the winners of this creator-enabler war, the industry is now left to grapple with what appears to be the shift from corporate competition to highly personal warfare.

The Moment 2026: A landmark gathering

The Moment 2026, held from March 13–15, 2026, at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, was billed as the largest gathering of African creators in recent history. 

Hosted by Mainstack, it aimed to bring together over 4,000 creators, hundreds of brands, and industry stakeholders to celebrate and build within the African creator economy.

The event’s significance was bolstered by cultural endorsement, including a high-profile visit by the Mainstack team to the Ooni of Ife, who pledged his royal support for the initiative, underscoring the view that African creators are not merely content producers, but vital custodians and exporters of African culture.

The conference features a lineup of over 30 speakers spread across three simultaneous stages: Founder-Focused Tracks, The Moment Awards, and Economic Impact.

By fostering an environment that blends business and leisure with high-level networking, the conference successfully attracts significant attention from both the creator community and corporate sponsors.

The Moment has succeeded in its goal of becoming the industry’s central content hub for the week. The public drama surrounding the event, including the billboard controversy and the live announcement of a high-profile executive hire, dominate social media conversations.

Last updated: March 15, 2026