Why Egypt ranked as the priciest livestream on IShowSpeed’s African tour
By Steve Ireri, January 16, 2026American streamer Darren Jason Watkins Jr, popularly known as IShowSpeed, has revealed that his livestream from Egypt was the most expensive of his 28-day multi-country African tour, citing logistical challenges and strict regulations as key factors.
Speaking minutes after streaming live from the iconic pyramids in Giza on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the high-energy content creator explained that the cost of production in the country far exceeded other stops on his tour.
“Chat, this stream in Egypt was the most expensive ever. You guys don’t know it. I usually do a lot for you so you can see things,” Speed said.
According to Speed, he goes to great lengths to ensure fans get a high-quality and immersive experience, which means leaving no detail to chance.
“I want to make everything right and everything great, and that’s why I have to do everything right,” he said during the livestream.
The streamer told viewers that Egypt required permits for nearly every location he wanted to broadcast from, creating additional administrative hurdles and costs.
He explained that the restrictions and regulations made streaming there particularly challenging compared to previous tour stops.
“Chat, if you understood, I don’t want to say too much, but it’s really hard to stream here. Streaming here, basically, you have to get permits for pretty much everything and every place. There are a lot of restrictions over here. I don’t know if you all realise that,” he added.
East Africa leg
Egypt marked Speed’s 11th stop on his ambitious multi-country African tour. Before arriving in North Africa, the streamer had been in Ethiopia, which became his 10th country on the tour.
His Ethiopia visit came shortly after he spent two days in Kenya, where he livestreamed from several locations and interacted closely with fans who turned out in large numbers to catch a glimpse of him.
Prior to Kenya, Speed had toured Rwanda, continuing a fast-paced journey that has seen him criss-cross the continent while documenting culture, landmarks and spontaneous street moments for his millions of followers worldwide.
Other tour highlights
From Angola, he travelled to South Africa, receiving an overwhelming welcome marked by massive crowds, street interactions and viral livestream moments.
His third stop was Mozambique, where he arrived on Saturday, January 3, 2026. There, Speed streamed from city streets and coastal areas, joined traditional dancers and acrobats, and openly praised the country’s scenery and culture.
After Mozambique, Speed headed to Eswatini, then to Botswana, where he streamed from the jungle and went on safari, before proceeding to Zimbabwe as his sixth destination. While in Zimbabwe, he announced a brief one-day break before resuming his tour activities.
On Friday, January 9, 2026, the streamer arrived in Zambia, his seventh stop, where thousands of fans turned out to greet him. During the visit, he toured the capital, received custom artwork from a local artist, sampled local food and interacted with children during a karate class.