Nairobi County has introduced a new set of charges targeting filmmakers, content creators, influencers, streaming platforms and other businesses operating in the digital entertainment sector under the 2026 Finance Act.
Under the new fee structure, local producers will pay Ksh8,000 for each commercial filming session, while external producers will be charged Ksh50,000 per shoot. Religious and private filming will attract a Ksh8,000 fee, while music-video production will cost Ksh10,000 per production.
Content creators operating studios will also be required to pay an annual fee of Ksh40,000, as the county expands its revenue framework to cover a wider range of digital entertainment activities.
Local streaming platforms will face an annual charge of Ksh100,000, while digital content platforms will pay Ksh80,000. Influencers holding monetised events will also be required to pay Ksh10,000 for each event.
The new charges extend to established media and entertainment businesses. Television stations will pay Ksh200,000 annually, while radio stations will be charged Ksh150,000. Cinemas and theatres will pay Ksh100,000 annually for each screen, while online entertainment events will attract a Ksh15,000 fee.
The measures bring a broader section of Nairobi's expanding digital entertainment economy under the county's revenue system, covering activities from conventional film production to influencer events and online entertainment.
The distinction between local and external productions is expected to attract particular attention, with foreign or external commercial productions facing a fee more than six times that imposed on local producers for a single shooting session.
The charges could also increase financial pressure on independent filmmakers and smaller content creators operating with limited production budgets. Unlike annual licensing fees, the Ksh8,000 and Ksh50,000 filming charges apply to each shooting session, potentially resulting in substantially higher costs for producers undertaking multiple shoots.
Influencers have similarly been incorporated into the county's revenue framework, with monetised events attracting a Ksh10,000 charge. The move comes as Nairobi's creator economy continues to grow, with social media personalities increasingly generating income from branded events, digital advertising and online entertainment.
Streaming and digital content platforms have also been brought into the county's revenue structure. Local streaming platforms will pay Ksh100,000 annually, while digital content platforms will incur an annual Ksh80,000 fee, adding another operating cost for businesses targeting Nairobi's expanding online audience.
The new charges form part of wider efforts by county governments to broaden their revenue sources and bring emerging economic activities into formal taxation and licensing frameworks.
However, their implementation could raise questions about how Nairobi County will differentiate between various types of filming, determine which events are monetised and enforce the charges on online businesses.
For the creative sector, a key concern will be whether the additional costs could make low-budget productions more expensive or reduce Nairobi's attractiveness as a filming destination.
The measures also place Nairobi at the centre of a wider debate over how governments should regulate and derive revenue from Kenya's rapidly expanding digital economy.
