Facebook finally launches Avatars across Sub-Saharan Africa, includes COVID-19 support sticker

Social media giants Facebook finally launches its Avatars in Africa to give people new ways to express themselves online. The feature was launched last year with global release expected in late 2019 or early 2020.

Avatars are digital personas that allow people to engage across Facebook and Messenger in a more personal and dynamic way. You can use your personalized Facebook avatar to share a range of emotions and expressions via a digital persona that is unique to you.

There are many ways you can use your avatar including in comments, Stories, Messenger and soon, text posts with backgrounds too. With so many emotions and expressions to choose from, avatars let you share your authentic reactions and feelings with family and friends across the app. You can customise your avatar with hairstyles, complexions, outfits, COVID-19 support stickers and more.

To create your avatar, go to the Facebook or Messenger comment composer, click on the “smiley” button, and then the sticker tab. Click “Create Your Avatar”.

“Facebook is home to some of your most personal content and we want to allow people to share and react to that content in the most personalised way possible,” says Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director, Facebook Africa. “We’re excited to give people more options to convey their identity on Facebook, allowing them to share in a more personal, light-hearted way.”

Avatars include hundreds of global sticker packs and integrations with GIF providers and can also be shared across Facebook and Messenger by: