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Zimbabwean creators demand Facebook monetisation
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Zimbabwean content creators remain sidelined from Facebook's monetisation programme, which is currently available in only eight African countries, sparking calls for government intervention to secure the country's digital economic inclusion.
With over 2.46 million active Facebook users in Zimbabwe, creators say the lack of access to direct monetisation forces them into risky and unsustainable workarounds, such as routing earnings through foreign accounts. Meanwhile, creators in other African nations with formal partnerships with Meta continue to benefit from steady income streams.
"Due to the limitations of Facebook not being currently monetised in Zimbabwe, local content creators are monetising their pages using people in other countries to register the sales, while others rely on advertising strategies for local businesses," new media expert Engineer Timothy Kuhamba explained.
Kuhamba pointed to Kenya as a model Zimbabwe could follow. In 2022, Kenyan President William Ruto engaged Meta executives directly, securing Facebook monetisation for Kenyan creators. He has since moved to explore additional measures to ensure smoother payment systems through mobile and social media platforms.
"For Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Sports, Recreation and Arts needs to table a proposal to His Excellency so that when he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York from September 9 to 23, he can engage Facebook directors. Monetisation in Zimbabwe would create employment for local content creators and bring in much-needed foreign currency," Kuhamba said.
As countries such as Kenya and Nigeria tap into digital dividends, Zimbabwe finds itself at a crossroads. Industry players argue that with government backing, Facebook could move from being merely a platform for expression to becoming a critical avenue for economic empowerment.
With over 2.46 million active Facebook users in Zimbabwe, creators say the lack of access to direct monetisation forces them into risky and unsustainable workarounds, such as routing earnings through foreign accounts. Meanwhile, creators in other African nations with formal partnerships with Meta continue to benefit from steady income streams.
"Due to the limitations of Facebook not being currently monetised in Zimbabwe, local content creators are monetising their pages using people in other countries to register the sales, while others rely on advertising strategies for local businesses," new media expert Engineer Timothy Kuhamba explained.
Kuhamba pointed to Kenya as a model Zimbabwe could follow. In 2022, Kenyan President William Ruto engaged Meta executives directly, securing Facebook monetisation for Kenyan creators. He has since moved to explore additional measures to ensure smoother payment systems through mobile and social media platforms.
"For Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Sports, Recreation and Arts needs to table a proposal to His Excellency so that when he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York from September 9 to 23, he can engage Facebook directors. Monetisation in Zimbabwe would create employment for local content creators and bring in much-needed foreign currency," Kuhamba said.
As countries such as Kenya and Nigeria tap into digital dividends, Zimbabwe finds itself at a crossroads. Industry players argue that with government backing, Facebook could move from being merely a platform for expression to becoming a critical avenue for economic empowerment.
Source - ZBC
