In State House Nairobi today, Kenya’s President Ruto hosted Facebook’s President of Global Affairs, Mr Nick Clegg. The meeting of the two was also attended by various digital content creators from the country. From the discussions, it has been revealed that Kenyans will soon be able to earn from creating and sharing content on Meta platforms.
“June will be a turning point for our content creators! They will begin monetization of their content as part of our efforts to create jobs for the youth.”, stated President Ruto
President William Ruto also noted that “The monetization revenue disbursements will be processed via M-Pesa which is a more accessible and convenient form.”
“Content creators’ dream has come to reality,” said Comedian Butita. He urged content creators to “seize this opportunity to be able to create meaningful content”. He even joked that the President will make “good money after-tax” when he monetizes his Facebook page.
It is worth noting that after the Finance Bill 2023 was signed, Kenya introduced a 15% tax on the earnings of digital content creators and influences.
Meta owns Facebook and Instagram which are the two platforms with the most users in Kenya. Despite its popularity, Meta is a bit late in giving creators a chance to directly earn off their content in the Country. It is the ability to make money online that has made platforms like YouTube, TikTok and even less known Tagged popular.
READ: KFCB: TikTok Explicit Live Streamers to be Banned, Devices Blacklisted
Meta Monetization Scheme and Eligibility
Kenyan creators now have access to several monetization tools on Facebook and Instagram based on Meta for Creators. These include instream ads, which are image or video advertisements that appear before, during, or after a video, offering a non-disruptive way for advertisers to reach their target audience while users engage with video content.
Secondly, creators can monetize their Reels content on Instagram through Instagram Gifts, where viewers can send virtual gifts to show appreciation. Furthermore, Facebook Stars allows followers to purchase and send stars to creators as a form of appreciation across various content formats, including gaming, live streams, on-demand videos, photos, or text content.
In the upcoming weeks, Kenya will become an eligible country for content monetization, enabling creators who meet certain criteria to monetize their content. This opportunity extends not only to individual creators but also to institutions, businesses, and organizations.
To qualify, creators must have over 5,000 followers, be at least 18 years old, maintain more than 5 active videos on their page, accumulate over 60,000-minute views in the last 60 days, and adhere to monetization policies and community standards
