President William Ruto has directed all government ministries and agencies to increase their presence on online platforms as part of efforts to grow Kenya’s digital economy.

Speaking at the State Concert of the 97th Kenya Music Festival in Nyeri on Saturday, he said the government has no excuse not to adopt digital channels, stressing that online advertising directly benefits local content creators.

“The more we advertise online, the higher our content is weighted, and the more our creatives will earn. We must support our digital economy,” Ruto said.

He stated that when he assumed office in August 2022, Kenya was not among the four African countries whose content creators were monetised on Facebook, a situation that has since changed after what he described as “determined negotiations” with the company’s top leadership.

“Today, Kenya is among the select few countries whose creators are paid for their original content on the platform. We fought hard and we won. And we are not stopping,” he added.

The President further said Kenyan content producers are now earning more on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, which have expanded payouts to local creators.

Ruto also revealed that during his visit to the United States next month, he will hold talks with global tech companies to strengthen partnerships for Kenyan digital entrepreneurs.

He said a key focus will be on integrating M-PESA into Facebook’s payment system to speed up payouts, and pushing Google to allow Kenyans to buy adverts using M-PESA.

“This change will benefit both creatives and MSMEs selling their products online, creating a win-win situation for Kenya and YouTube, which will enjoy more transactions on its platform,” the President said.