EXPLAINER: How to make money on TikTok
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Dennis Itumbi speaking during The creator's education day at Glee hotel, Kiambu county on October 1, 2025./TRACY MUTHONIThe TikTok Content Creators Workshop held at Glee Hotel brought together hundreds of digital creators, government officials, and industry stakeholders to discuss opportunities and challenges in Kenya’s creative economy.
The forum focused on content monetization, platform fairness, and sustainable ways for local creators to earn livelihoods.
One of the most talked-about proposals came from TikTok users who suggested building a modern hospital funded through contributions from creators.
The ambitious idea, which has been trending online, was welcomed by Dennis Itumbi, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economic Coordination.
“Hospitals in this country have been created by Kenyans through Sadaka. That’s why you have faith and mission hospitals — about 100 hospitals built this way. President William Ruto is currently building 70 hospitals through the KDF. If TikTok creators can organise themselves and build another modern hospital, that would be brilliant,” Itumbi said.
His remarks tapped into a wider conversation about how Kenya’s digital communities are moving beyond entertainment to propose practical solutions to everyday challenges.
He urged the platform to lower its monetisation threshold from 10,000 to 5,000 followers so that upcoming creators can also benefit.
The government further asked TikTok to introduce a button dedicated to Kenyan small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to give local entrepreneurs visibility. Itumbi also pushed for the integration of M-Pesa into the platform to allow creators to receive payments directly.
“M-Pesa is a Kenyan innovation, and our creators should benefit from it without involving third parties,” he added.
On sustainability, Itumbi encouraged creators to form savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs) to strengthen financial organisation, access loans, and even lay the groundwork for a future “Creators’ Bank” to support long-term growth.
The government, he said, is ready to channel advertising funds into TikTok content provided the platform improves visibility for creators who focus on priority areas such as health, jobs, and housing.
He also highlighted opportunities for international collaborations with industries such as Hollywood and Bollywood.
At the policy level, Itumbi pointed to the Creative Economy Support Bill 2024, which seeks to create a support fund for creators as part of broader efforts to strengthen Kenya’s creative economy.
The workshop ended with calls for stronger partnerships between platforms, government, and creators to unlock the full potential of Kenya’s digital economy while ensuring creators can thrive sustainably.
