M-Pesa on Facebook? Ruto’s big plan for content creators

NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 16 – President William Ruto has revealed that his government is in talks with Facebook’s parent company, Meta, to make it easier and faster for Kenyan digital content creators to get paid through M-PESA.

Speaking at the 97th Kenya Music Festival State Concert held at the Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri on Saturday, President Ruto said the idea is to allow Kenyan creatives to directly receive their earnings on the popular mobile money platform.

“We want M-PESA to be integrated on Facebook so that creators in Kenya can get their money more easily and quickly,” he said.

The announcement comes as part of a wider plan to support the growing creative and digital economy in Kenya, especially among young people who are increasingly turning to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to earn a living.

President Ruto said the government had already fought hard to ensure Kenya is included in Meta’s monetisation programme which allows eligible creators to earn money from their content.

He now wants to take it a step further by removing payment delays and cutting out costly international middlemen.

“When a Kenyan creator earns money from Facebook or Instagram, it shouldn’t take forever or go through banks with high charges,” the President added.

President Ruto noted that the government is working on policies to make Kenya a global hub for digital innovation and artistic talent.

He promised more support for creatives not just through payments but also by improving infrastructure, laws, and training.

He cited the importance of the creative industry, which currently contributes about 5 percent to Kenya’s GDP.

His government is targeting to grow that number to 30 percent in the coming years.

“Our young people are talented. All they need is opportunity, tools, and fair systems,” he said, adding that platforms like M-PESA are already trusted by many and will make a big difference if fully integrated with global tech platforms.

– Facebook monetisation already live in Kenya –

In June, Meta officially rolled out monetisation features for Kenyan creators including in-stream ads and subscriptions.

However, some content producers have complained of slow payments and technical barriers.

By bringing M-PESA into the system, the government hopes to cut down delays and make the process more seamless.

President Ruto is expected to meet Meta executives during his upcoming trip to the United States, where the payment integration plan will be on the agenda.

“We’re not just asking we are negotiating,” he said. “And we believe this will be a game-changer for Kenya’s young content creators.”

Many young Kenyans are now using social media to earn a living whether by creating videos, promoting brands, or educating audiences.

But getting paid remains a challenge, especially for those without bank accounts or access to dollar-based payment systems.

Integrating M-PESA into global platforms like Facebook could simplify things dramatically allowing creators to get paid the same way they receive local money transfers.

If successful, Kenya could become one of the first countries in Africa to bridge global tech earnings with local mobile money systems setting the pace for others.