TikTok officially launched its advertising partnership in Kenya this month, but the move is highlighting a growing rift: while the platform is now making money from Kenyan eyes, it still isn’t paying the creators who keep them watching.
The big picture
In January 2025, TikTok named Aleph Holdings as its official ad sales partner in Kenya. This followed a “quiet” rollout of ads that began in late 2024, ending years of an ad-free, “uninterrupted scroll” for the country’s 10 million+ users.
Why it matters
For Kenyan businesses, it’s a new frontier for digital marketing. For creators, it’s a frustration. Unlike YouTube or Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok does not share a percentage of ad revenue with creators in Africa.
The friction point
High-profile African creators argue they are being exploited.
- The “Golden Triangle”: TikTok executives refer to Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa as their “Golden Triangle” of growth.
- The Exclusion: Despite this, the Creator Rewards Program—which pays for views—is unavailable in Sub-Saharan Africa. It currently operates in only seven global markets.
- Economic Injustice: South Africa’s Communications Minister Solly Malatsi recently called this exclusion an “economic injustice,” noting that African trends often drive global engagement for which the originators receive $0.
By the numbers
- 10 million+: Estimated TikTok user base in Kenya.
- 55%: The portion of ad revenue YouTube shares with creators.
- 0%: The portion of ad revenue TikTok shares with African creators.
- 50%: The standard cut TikTok takes from “LIVE Gifts” and subscriptions (though this is lower in the U.S.).
What they’re saying
“If you have no arrangement [to pay], what are you doing in my country? Why are you okay operating here but not okay paying our creators?” — Kansiime Anne, Ugandan comedian.
The other side: TikTok argues it isn’t “one-size-fits-all.” Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, points to other tools:
- LIVE Gifting: Fans can send virtual tips (though TikTok takes a large cut).
- Work With Artists: Paying creators to use specific music tracks.
- Localized Grants: Programs like “Rising Voices” and “Safer Together” provide cash grants to select groups.
The bottom line
While TikTok offers “indirect” paths to money through brand deals and virtual gifts, African creators remain locked out of the passive, reliable ad-revenue streams that have made YouTube the “gold standard” for the continent’s digital entrepreneurs.
Source: East African
