OPINION: Levelling the playing field for Kenyan and African creators

Recently, the Kenyan government announced at the 97th Kenya Music Festival State Concert that it is in talks with Meta to have creators paid directly via MPESA. 

This is in a bid to ensure that creators have more money in their pockets and faster by bypassing banks that take a while and charge high fees. The development is a step in the right direction, but we need to address more systemic challenges that abound in the creator economy, not just in Kenya but across Africa.

The rhythm of Africa’s creativity flows through global culture, yet the benefits of this influence rarely return to the continent. Every day, African creators shape what the world watches, listens to, and imitates. They drive everything from viral dances to fashion trends and from slang to storytelling.

However, while their content spreads on platforms developed in Silicon Valley, the financial rewards remain frustratingly out of reach, hindered by geographic barriers and outdated systems.  The harsh reality is that the creator economy, valued at hundreds of billions, was built without considering Africa.

According to Coherent MI, a market intelligence company, the African creator economy was valued at $5.10 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $29.84 billion by 2032. It is expected to grow at a 28.7% annual rate from 2025 to 2032. The creator economy includes entrepreneurs, artists, influencers, bloggers, and other content creators who use online platforms to earn income from their skills and talents.

Take the young Kenyan filmmaker whose short documentary goes viral on YouTube. They discover that while Western creators earn between $7 and $15 per 1,000 views, their African peers only make $1 to $2 for the same amount of engagement. This disparity doesn’t reflect the value of African content.

Instead, advertisers pay less for African audiences, and platforms focus on markets where brand dollars flow more freely. Value is priced according to region, and Africa is on the wrong side of that pricing.

The exclusion is more profound. Entire features like TikTok Shop and TikTok Creator Rewards remain inaccessible to African creators, as if innovation halts at the continent’s borders.

“The issue isn’t visibility; it’s infrastructure. The digital tools that empower creators elsewhere either

leave out Kenya and Africa or provide a stripped-down, ineffective version,” says Douglas Kendyson, CEO and founder of Selar, a digital creator and commerce platform.

PayPal fails to work properly in many countries. YouTube’s algorithms lower the visibility of African content unless it’s repackaged by Western influencers. The current system acts like a one-way mirror: the world sees Africa, but Africa can’t fully engage.

However, where there are obstacles, there are also breakthroughs. A quiet revolution is happening across the continent. Platforms designed specifically for African creators, show that alternatives are possible. By focusing on local needs like mobile money options, low-bandwidth compatibility, and fair revenue sharing, they’ve allowed thousands to overcome the limitations of global platforms and earn directly from their work. 

Success stories are increasing: a Nigerian writer selling e-books to a global audience, a Tanzanian musician making money through digital downloads, and a Kenyan photographer licensing their work without middlemen taking most of the profit. These cases are not isolated occurrences; they prove that when tools match the context, African creativity thrives and generates real wealth.

Yet, individual platforms alone cannot change the game. For instance, Selar has paid out over 1.3 billion Kenyan shillings to African creators thanks to its over 2 million users and more than 300,000 creators in 15 African countries. Still, this isn’t enough. There is much more to accomplish collectively on the continent. 

The needed transformation goes deeper. It starts with reimagining opportunities not just for creators, but for their entire ecosystem. Education systems should treat digital skills as essential, fostering not just users of technology but innovators. 

Governments need to acknowledge that the creative economy is not marginal; it is a powerhouse that can provide worthwhile, sustainable jobs.

Most importantly, investors and builders should focus on creating new models that ensure value goes to those who generate it, where algorithms support rather than hinder, and where being African is seen as an advantage rather than a challenge.

The opportunity is present, shining on the horizon. The world craves what Africa can produce: its authenticity, innovation, and raw brilliance. The critical question is whether Africa will continue to satisfy this demand through channels owned by others, or if it will create its own paths and establish its own terms. The billion-dollar creator economy is not a closed club. It is a new frontier, and now is the time to seize it.

The writer is the founder of PassionBiz Academy and author of several books on entrepreneurship and personal development.