In a reveal that has sent shockwaves through the digital landscape, Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Presidential Special Projects and the Creative Economy, has claimed that comedian Eric Omondi is raking in Ksh57 million from his social media platforms. Speaking during a live interview on Wednesday night, April 8, 2026, Itumbi identified Omondi as the country’s top-earning creator, with the bulk of his revenue generated from Instagram and Facebook.
The Impact of Meta Monetization
Itumbi attributed these staggering figures to a shift in the digital economy facilitated by the current administration. He noted that President William Ruto personally negotiated with Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) to ensure Kenyan creators could finally monetize their content directly on these platforms.
“When this administration took over, a report by OdipoDev released yesterday shows that [Omondi] is earning Ksh57 million from his social media,” Itumbi stated. “The president personally negotiated with Meta and monetization was introduced for Meta products.”
30% Government Ad Budget for Creators
Beyond platform monetization, Itumbi revealed that the government has redirected a significant portion of its marketing spend toward the youth. Over the last 18 months, 30% of the total government advertising budget has been allocated to content creators, moving away from traditional media dominance to provide sustainable income for digital influencers.
The Creative Economy Bill 2026
To further formalize the sector, Itumbi highlighted the Creative Economy Bill 2026, which is currently on the floor of Parliament. Key features of the bill include:
The Creative Fund: A first-of-its-kind dedicated fund designed to provide financial backing for artists and creators.
Royalty Solutions: New mechanisms to ensure musicians, who have historically struggled with unpaid royalties, are fairly compensated.
Institutional Support: The establishment of an independent Creative Economy Department under the presidency to coordinate growth across the industry.
“This president has created a creative economy department, independent of the ministry,” Itumbi explained, referencing his own role in the Creative Economy Coordination Office.
As the government moves to treat content creation as a formal profession, the eye-popping figures linked to Eric Omondi serve as a benchmark for the potential of Kenya’s digital space. With the new bill in progress, the administration hopes to turn these individual success stories into a structured, billion-shilling industry for all Kenyan creatives.