During a high-profile interview on Wednesday night at Citizen TV, Denis Itumbi, the head of presidential special projects and creative economy, disclosed that comedian and content creator Eric Omondi is earning Sh57 million monthly from his online platforms.
Itumbi cited a recent report by OdipoDev, which highlights Omondi as the highest-paid content creator in Kenya, with Instagram and Facebook contributing the bulk of his income.
“A report by OdipoDev released yesterday shows that he is earning 57 million from his social media and he is the highest-paid content creator. His highest earnings are on Instagram and Facebook,” Itumbi said.
He credited the current government for creating an enabling environment for content creators.
“When this government took over, the president personally negotiated with Meta, and monetization was introduced for Meta products,” Itumbi added, noting that these efforts have opened new revenue streams for Kenyan creatives.
The creative economy has also received a legislative boost.
According to Itumbi, the Creative Economy Bill 2026, currently in Parliament, proposes the establishment of a dedicated fund for content creators—a move he described as long overdue.
“This administration has a Creative Economy Bill 2026 in Parliament that sets up a fund for creatives that has never existed for a long time,” he explained.
Itumbi further revealed that the government has allocated 30 percent of all government advertising budgets to support content creators.
“The government has put 30% of government advertising on content creators,” he emphasized, underscoring the administration’s commitment to fostering the sector.
He did not hold back in criticizing critics of the creative economy, particularly former senator Cleophas Malala. Itumbi accused Malala of failing to advance the sector despite having political opportunities.
“Cleophas Malala got a chance at UDA; he ended up employing his relatives and cronies and did nothing for the creative economy. He cannot sit here and pretend to be a goddess or god of theatre or have any interest in improving the creative economy,” he stated.
Omondi’s earnings come amid a growing recognition of digital content as a viable and lucrative profession in Kenya.
With government backing and policies aimed at monetization, local content creators are now better positioned to turn their online presence into substantial income, setting a precedent for the future of Kenya’s creative economy.