NAIROBI — In a significant move for the digital economy, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has introduced new monetization features enabling content creators in Kenya to generate revenue from short-form videos through advertising.
The announcement was made by the social media giant on Tuesday.
Meta unveiled two key monetization options: in-stream ads, which can appear before, during, or after videos on Facebook, and ads on Reels, accompanying short videos posted on the platform.
Kenya joins a select group of 12 African nations where Meta shares ad revenue with content creators. Other countries benefiting from this initiative include Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, and the Seychelles.
“This expansion will empower eligible creators in the vibrant creative industry in Kenya to earn money, whilst setting the bar high for creativity across the world and making Meta’s family of apps the one-stop-shop for all creators,” stated Moon Baz, Meta’s global partnerships lead for Africa, Middle East, and Turkey.
The path to extending Meta’s monetization capabilities to Kenya began in March when Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, visited the country and met with President William Ruto. Originally, the plan was to introduce these features on both Facebook and Instagram by June.
However, while Facebook has rolled out the monetization options, Instagram creators will need to wait longer for similar opportunities.
To participate in the new program, creators must have a minimum of 5,000 followers on Facebook and accumulate over 60,000 minutes of total watch time in the last two months.
Facebook remains the dominant social media platform in Kenya, with at least 52 percent of Kenyans aged 15 and above using it, according to the latest statistics from the Communications Authority of Kenya.
Other popular Meta-owned platforms in Kenya include WhatsApp, used by 48.5 percent of the population, and Instagram, used by 11.5 percent.
Currently, only YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) share ad revenue with content creators.
Meta’s move is expected to significantly impact the social media landscape and provide a substantial boost to the creative economy in Kenya.
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