Kenya Government to Pay Influencers to Push Affordable Housing on TikTok

The Kenyan administration is changing how it communicates with the public, opting to utilize digital influencers to popularize its major development programs. This new approach involves a promise of direct monetary compensation for content creators whose work focuses on high-priority national sectors.

The initiative was revealed by Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects within the Executive Office of the President, during a recent meeting with creators in Nairobi. Itumbi indicated the government is prepared to dedicate specific funds to assist these digital professionals. He stressed that creators are invited to submit proposals, and successful ones will receive financial backing for generating material around core development areas, specifically Sustainable Affordable Housing (SHA), public health, employment creation, and farming.

In explaining the reasoning behind the new policy, Itumbi mentioned that the government is modernizing its advertising from conventional formats to digital platforms to align with the online consumption habits of the majority of Kenyans. He confirmed that creators would be provided with funding and strategic "content notes" to produce engaging campaigns, offering them a way to "earn money by just putting it on TikTok."

The move is seen as part of the Kenya Kwanza government’s broader effort to enhance public engagement and service awareness, particularly among the youth, through relatable and widely shared online content. Interested influencers should submit their detailed concepts through the Creative Economy Office.