President William Ruto has announced that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will allow digital creators in Kenya to monetize their content on the platforms from June 2024.
The announcement came after President Ruto hosted the Facebook Management Team at State House, Nairobi, alongside prominent content creators to discuss monetization strategies.
Facebook confirmation
Nick Clegg, Facebook's President of Global Affairs, confirmed that Kenyan creators will have the opportunity to earn revenue through various channels across Facebook and Instagram, including in-stream ads in their content, Facebook Stories, Instagram subs, and IG gifs.
This move follows a year-long effort by the government, led by President Ruto, to advocate for creators to earn from their online content.
In his remarks, President Ruto commended the relentless efforts of the creators in advocating for their rights. He expressed satisfaction with the progress made in achieving the monetization process.
"We have undergone numerous consultations, and I am pleased with the progress we are making. The content creators have been pushing me on this but today, I am glad that we made a step process of monetization," he said.
The President reiterated that he has received assurances that the monetization process will commence in June, aligning with his administration's bottom-up agenda.
"I received assurances in June that all our creators would have the opportunity to monetize their content and access associated commerce. This initiative aligns perfectly with our bottom-up agenda, ensuring that everyone, starting from the grassroots level, has a chance to thrive. I am also encouraged by the creators' awareness of tax implications," he said.
Facebook payments
President Ruto also highlighted the importance of leveraging accessible platforms like M-Pesa for the monetization process, recognizing that not everyone has access to credit cards.
"Furthermore, I am delighted that the monetization process will be facilitated through M-Pesa. This is significant as not everyone has access to credit cards, and leveraging a platform as accessible as M-Pesa will benefit a broader range of individuals," he added.
