During the just-concluded National Dialogue Council, popularly known as Umushyikirano, a famous musician paused a question of social media monetisation for Rwandan content which has remained a challenge for the local creative industry. This was by all means a fair ask. For years, Rwanda has over the years invested heavily to build a digital economy. The fibre backbone has been laid, smartphones are ubiquitous, digital skills programmes have expanded, and a generation of young Rwandans has taken to online platforms with remarkable creativity. What remains painfully lagging is the ability for this creativity to translate into predictable income. Today, thousands of Rwandan creators are producing content that commands attention locally, regionally and even globally. They are telling our stories, shaping narratives, marketing brands, educating peers and entertaining millions. Yet many of them do so on platforms where monetisation frameworks are either unavailable, poorly adapted to our market, or difficult to access. The result is a digital paradox: high engagement, low returns. This matters because the digital economy is not an abstract policy ambition. It is supposed to create jobs, unlock new industries and offer young people alternatives to traditional employment paths that are increasingly constrained. If content creators—who form one of the most visible and dynamic segments of this economy—cannot earn from their work, then the promise of digital transformation risks sounding hollow. Monetisation is not about quick riches or viral luck. It is about fairness and sustainability. A creator who invests time, data, equipment and skill should have a clear pathway to earn—through ad revenue, subscriptions or platform-based payouts. Without this, creativity becomes a hobby rather than a profession, and many promising talents eventually burn out or abandon their craft. The conversation at Umushyikirano should therefore be a starting gun, not a closing remark. Government has a critical role to play by continuing to engage global platforms to open up monetisation options for Rwanda, reviewing regulatory and tax frameworks to ensure they are enabling rather than punitive, and strengthening intellectual property protection in the digital space. These steps signal seriousness and give creators confidence that their work is valued. But government cannot act alone. The private sector—especially advertisers, telecom companies, banks and tech firms—must step up. Local brands should deliberately allocate advertising budgets to digital creators, not as an afterthought but as a strategic choice. Financial institutions can develop products tailored to creators’ income patterns. Telecoms can bundle data and creator tools in ways that lower the cost of production. Platforms, both local and international, must recognise Rwanda as a viable monetisation market, not just a source of free content and engagement. At the centre of this agenda are young people. For many of them, content creation is not just self-expression; it is an attempt to build a livelihood with the tools of their time. Supporting them to earn from their craft is therefore not charity—it is smart economic planning. Rwanda has done the hard work of building digital foundations. The next, urgent task is to ensure that value circulates back to those creating it. Monetising social media is not a luxury. It is a necessary step in turning digital promise into real incomes, dignity of work, and a future where creativity pays.
