Nairobi — A Kenyan technology company is seeking to transform how African content creators earn money online with the launch of UrbanTok, a new social media platform designed to put monetization at the center of the creator experience.
The platform was officially unveiled during the Connected Africa Summit 2026 in Nairobi, attracting attention from policymakers across the continent.
More than 20 ICT ministers attended the launch, led by ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo and Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui.
The strong government presence highlighted growing interest in developing African-owned digital platforms that can retain more value within the continent's fast-growing digital economy.
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Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy John Tanui described the launch as an important step toward strengthening Kenya's digital sovereignty and expanding opportunities for local innovators.
For years, African creators have helped drive traffic and engagement on global platforms such as TikTok and YouTube.
Musicians, comedians, filmmakers, influencers and other content creators across the continent attract millions of views every month.
However, many creators say earning meaningful income from their content remains a challenge due to limited monetization opportunities, high payout thresholds and payment systems that are not always suited to African markets.
UrbanTok aims to address these challenges by offering creators direct access to revenue streams from the moment they join the platform.
The platform supports local currency payouts, paid livestreams, virtual gifting and an integrated e-commerce marketplace known as UrbanDuka, allowing creators to sell products directly to their audiences.
Unlike many global platforms where creators must first build large audiences before qualifying for monetization programs, UrbanTok says it is designed to allow users to start earning from the beginning.
According to UrbanTok Chief Executive Officer Naftal Nyabuto, the company is taking a different approach from traditional social media platforms.
"We're not a content-first platform with monetization tacked on. We're a monetization engine that happens to stream video," Nyabuto said.
The company reported attracting more than 10,000 daily active users during its first week after launch.
Kenya alone has millions of active social media users, while countries such as Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana continue to see strong growth in digital content creation.
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Yet much of the revenue generated through advertising, virtual gifting and user engagement on international platforms ultimately leaves the continent.
Supporters of UrbanTok argue that African-owned platforms could help retain a larger share of that value by creating jobs, supporting local businesses and ensuring creators are rewarded more fairly for their work.
The launch of UrbanTok comes at a time when governments and technology leaders across Africa are increasingly discussing digital sovereignty, data ownership and the need for homegrown technology solutions.
For many policymakers attending the launch, the platform represents more than just another social media application.
It is being viewed as an attempt to create an African-owned digital ecosystem where creators, businesses and consumers can participate more directly in the economic value generated online.
Whether UrbanTok can compete with global technology giants remains to be seen.
However, its arrival has already sparked an important conversation about who benefits from Africa's growing digital economy.
