Zambia’s Social Media Monetisation law: A step forward, but not the full solution

However, while this is progress, it’s important to address the realities of what truly drives creator earnings, and the role government can play in enabling a thriving creator economy. 

The assumption that government negotiation with platforms like Facebook and TikTok will automatically result in monetisation for Zambian creators is misguided. These platforms don’t require governments to engage with them to enable monetisation. Instead, monetisation is based on a combination of factors such as: 

Platform Policies. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Facebook decide which countries they enable monetisation for, based on their internal criteria such as advertising demand and payment infrastructure. 

Audience Demographics. Earnings depend heavily on where a creator’s audience is located. Advertisers pay more for views from countries with higher purchasing power – for example, the US, UK or South Africa. 

For Zambian creators, even if platforms enable monetisation, the local advertising market may limit their earnings because Zambia’s economy doesn’t yet generate high-value ad spend. This means that only creators with large, international audiences stand to benefit significantly from platform ads. 

While regulation is helpful in creating a supportive environment for creators, the government’s role isn’t to negotiate directly with platforms. Instead, it should focus on building an ecosystem that enables creators to monetise effectively. 

You can read more about more about Zambia’s Social Media Monetisation legislation and the potential way forward for the country’s creator community in the latest Strategic Marketing for Africa – the voice of African marketing and the official publication of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC).  

Read or download Issue 1 2025 online here. A Print Edition is also available.