Terence, Dem wa FB dispute influencers earning report: Where are the millions?

Kenyan content creators have come out strongly to dispute a new industry report that paints Instagram as the top income generator in the country’s fast-growing digital economy.

While the report by Odipo Dev ranks top influencers among million-shilling earners, some of those mentioned insist the figures do not reflect their reality.

Popular comedian Millicent Ayuwa widely known as Dem Wa Facebook, who the report lists among top earners with an estimated Sh35 million, dismissed the claims that she’s Kenya’s third top –earning creator, saying she has never made such an amount from content creation.

 “I’m also shocked as the rest who have seen the report. Had I had that kind of money. I could have already flown out of Kenya. The figures are not sure not true because I even struggled while purchasing my IPhone which I use to shoot my content,” she said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Terence Creative also questioned the accuracy of the data, noting that while the industry is growing, reported earnings are often overstated.

“Si complain Ni kweli tunatengeneza hela lakini hii hesabu hapana unless there's someone receiving money on our behalf na hatuambi coz what we get is contrary...” he posted.

The report indicates that Instagram leads in monetisation, converting 40.8 per cent of views into revenue, ahead of Facebook and TikTok.

However, creators argue that earnings remain unpredictable, with most relying heavily on brand partnerships rather than direct platform pay outs.

Terence Creative emphasized that while viral reach especially on TikTok can be significant, turning that visibility into stable income remains a challenge. Many creators say the gap between online fame and actual financial returns is still wide.

Content creators have pushed back against the report, terming the figures as misleading and far removed from the realities of the industry.

They argue that presenting inflated earnings as the norm distorts public perception, noting that even a basic review of brand contracts both locally and internationally does not support such high returns.

 According to them, while content creation is indeed a growing source of income, the majority of creators are not making the amounts being suggested. They further caution that statements of this nature, especially when made by influential figures, must be firmly grounded in reality.

Overstating earnings for political or optics purposes, they warn, risks misinforming the public and creating unrealistic expectations about the digital economy.

Despite the scepticism, the report highlights a booming creator economy, with billions of shillings circulating through influencer marketing.