At the TikTok Safer Internet Summit 2025 held in Cape Town last month, minister Solly Malatsi called TikTok out for not paying South African and African creators.

TikTok

“South African and African creators continue to be excluded entirely from this economic opportunity,” said Malatsi.

During his keynote speech, he added that South Africa proudly hosts one of Africa’s largest and most dynamic TikTok communities — with over 17 million active users.

“Our talented creators regularly ignite global viral trends, showcasing a creativity and cultural influence admired worldwide. Yet they see no direct financial reward from TikTok itself. This not only limits economic opportunity, it also sends the wrong message: that African creativity has reach, but not value,” added Malatsi.

What used to be the TikTok Creator Fund, which paid creators in the US and Europe, has been revamped into what is currently called the TikTok Creator Rewards Programme.

In this format it is only available to creators from the US, UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, and Brazil.

The Creator Rewards Programme sees creators from supported countries earn between $0.40 and $1.00 per 1 000 views. So if a video garners one million views, a creator can earn between $400-$1000.

There are certain criteria that need to be met before a creator applies for the program, and to be accepted, such as being at least 18 years old, have 10 000 followers, and 100 000 views within the last 30 days.

The summit hosted by TikTok gathered government officials, regulators, and industry leaders from countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Kenya to discuss strategies for improving online safety, content moderation, and digital policy frameworks.

It emphasised the importance of collaboration between governments, tech companies, and communities to create secure and innovative digital environments.

TikTok SSA Responds

TikTok’s head of content operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba said in a media statement issued on Wednesday, 9 April: “It is important to correct the notion that Africa has been deliberately excluded from the Creator Rewards Programme.”

“As a growing platform, it is our responsibility to test products and features before launching them globally or on a wider scale. We have a number of tools that our community across the continent can currently benefit from,” says Sidwaba.

The social media company says while the Creator Rewards Programme has not rolled out beyond the current seven markets, creators from Africa can take advantage of TikTok’s available tools.

TikTok currently lists these ways creators can leverage its platform:

1. LIVE Gifts: A Real-Time Engagement Tool creators can go LIVE on TikTok and enable the LIVE Gifts feature, allowing them to collect rewards based on the popularity of their broadcasts. Viewers can send virtual Gifts that pop up on screen, creating an interactive experience that showcases appreciation for content in real-time. The gifts are exchanged into real money. This feature not only enhances viewer engagement but also incentivizes creators to produce captivating and quality LIVE content.

2. Video Gifts: Monetising Pre-Recorded Content for those who prefer to share pre-recorded videos, the Video Gifts feature offers a unique opportunity to earn rewards through viewer contributions. This enables TikTok creators to monetise their video content without the need to go LIVE, ensuring that every video shared can be a potential source of income.

3. Effect Creator Rewards: Innovation meets Rewards creators can dive into TikTok’s Effect House to design high-quality virtual effects and earn cash rewards. From interactive game effects to stunning AI-generated art, creators are encouraged to unleash their creativity while reaping the benefits of their innovative designs.

4. Subscription Model: Building Loyal Communities with the subscription feature, creators can offer exclusive perks and unique experiences to their loyal fans for a monthly fee. This feature is also available for non-LIVE creators, allowing influencers to cultivate a dedicated community while generating consistent revenue.

5. Work With Artists: Promote your favourite artists’ song and earn. An interesting monetisation feature most people may not have been aware of is the Work With Artists feature. African creators can collaborate with music artists to promote songs and participate in viral video campaigns. Rewards are based on the performance of these videos, creating a mutually beneficial relationship where creators support artists while earning an income. Since testing this new feature across SSA, creators on TikTok have successfully leveraged this feature in the last few months.

Sidwaba adds: “Our suite of monetisation tools is designed to not only reward your talent but also foster a vibrant community where diverse voices can thrive.”

“We are constantly exploring new ways to empower our creators with innovative tools. We encourage all creators to explore these opportunities available on the platform, connect with their audiences, and unleash their full potential.”