Kenyan YouTube creators are raising concerns over a new 5 per cent withholding tax that Google will deduct from their earnings starting next month.
Google on Friday, August 28, notified content creators using AdSense for YouTube that they are required to submit their Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) ahead of the implementation of the new tax.
A notification seen by Vantage Ke indicated that the deduction will apply to September 2026 earnings, which are scheduled for payment in October. This means eligible creators will begin seeing the tax deducted from their upcoming payments.
“This email is to inform you that you need to provide your Kenyan personal identification number (PIN) in AdSense for YouTube by October 1, 2026,” Google stated in a notice reportedly sent to a Kenyan content creator.
Google said the requirement was part of measures to ensure compliance with Kenyan tax laws, particularly provisions contained in the Income Tax Act.
“Under the Kenya Income Tax Act, Google is required to withhold taxes on YouTube earnings paid to AdSense for YouTube accounts based in Kenya,” the company stated.
Adding “Each month, Google will withhold a 5 per cent Kenyan tax on finalised YouTube earnings along with any applicable U.S. taxes."
For example, a creator earning Ksh100,000 in finalised YouTube revenue would have Ksh5,000 deducted as the Kenyan withholding tax, leaving Ksh95,000 before any additional applicable deductions.
The announcement has triggered concern among content creators, with some questioning how the new deduction will affect their incomes, especially those who rely heavily on YouTube earnings as their primary source of livelihood.
One creator criticised the move on social media, arguing that the government had not done enough to support Kenya's rapidly expanding digital creative sector.
The creator noted that many young people had embraced content creation as an alternative source of income amid limited formal employment opportunities.
“Zero government support for digital creators. Zero subvention on heavy equipment imports. Zero relief on data costs yet, 5 per cent withholding tax on YouTube and content payouts,” the creator said.
"The creator economy was built by youth solving unemployment for themselves. Taxing self-made effort without providing any industry framework isn't fair. It is just taking from those who made something out of nothing."
The development comes as Kenya's digital media and creator economy continues to expand, with video platforms playing an increasingly important role in how audiences consume information and entertainment.
According to the Digital News Report 2026, published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Kenya remains among the world's most socially connected news markets, with audiences increasingly relying on video-based platforms.
The report identified YouTube as the leading social media platform for news consumption in Kenya, with usage rising from 54 per cent in 2025 to 66 per cent in 2026.
