Following a year-long negotiation with the Kenyan government, Facebook and Instagram content creators will begin earning from their platforms. This expansion comes amid the rise in the global number of internet and social media users which has led to increased engagement on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Kenya’s President, Willia Ruto says the action follows a trial programme involving qualified national creators with Meta to expand monetization options and will allow more creators to make a living doing what they love.
Data shows that in 2023 22.5 million Kenyans used the Internet. Out of this number over 14 million used Facebook while 2.95 million were on Instagram. Previously, Egypt and South Africa were the only African countries where creators could monetize their Facebook audience. The East African country’s inclusion has opened the possibility of passive income generation on Facebook and Instagram for more African countries.
Aside from Facebook and Instagram, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter also allow users to create content and receive compensation.
In February 2022, Meta announced that content creators can now create and earn money from Facebook Reels across 20 sub-Saharan Africa. These countries include South Africa, Seychelles, Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, Guinea, Ghana, Cape Verde, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso.
Philips Babatunde