Govt Unveils Plan to Pay TikTok Creators for Promoting Ruto’s Agenda
Kenyan TikTok creators will soon get direct government funding for content on President William Ruto’s flagship programmes in housing, health, job creation and agriculture.
This was announced by Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi during a creators’ forum in Nairobi. He said the government has set aside funds for digital content that aligns with the administration’s key development pillars.
“The government is willing to put in money for a few things it is doing and I want creators to take advantage,” Itumbi said. “If you do content around housing, health, job creation and agriculture, we are willing to give you money for it.”
Under the new model, creators will get official briefs from the government which they can adapt into content for TikTok and other digital platforms. This is a big shift from the traditional government communication and advertising channels to digital platforms.
Itumbi also pointed to a directive by President Ruto in 2022 that at least 30 per cent of government advertising budgets should be allocated to digital platforms. He said this is because social media is now a central part of public communication.
At the same time, Itumbi asked global social media platforms to expand monetisation options for Kenyan creators. While Facebook already allows local creators to earn money, TikTok users in Kenya are largely dependent on brand deals, influencer campaigns, affiliate marketing and live gifting for income.
TikTok has no official ad-revenue sharing model for Kenyan creators. Only a few African countries including South Africa, Egypt and Morocco qualify for TikTok’s Effect Creator Rewards, leaving out creators in Kenya and the rest of the region.
In July, Itumbi had hinted at the government’s plan to push for TikTok monetisation in Kenya, saying there was need for a unified call to the company. Now he is saying the government is ready to step in with direct funding as part of the creative economy agenda.
If implemented, this will not only increase local creators’ earning potential but also give the government a new tool to amplify its national development agenda through relatable user-generated content.
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Govt Unveils Plan to Pay TikTok Creators for Promoting Ruto’s Agenda