TikTok & Instagram Creators in Kenya: Make Money from Football Content with iGaming

The African iGaming market is growing at a rapid pace, and Kenya is one of the main drivers of that growth. The country has a young, mobile, football‑obsessed audience that practically lives on social media. TikTok and Instagram are especially popular here, with local influencers racking up tens and even hundreds of thousands of views on sports content. These platforms are top‑tier traffic sources that are still largely untapped by affiliates.

In this article, we’ll dive into why Kenyan creators are a true goldmine for anyone working with betting offers — and, most importantly, we’ll show you how to monetize football traffic with 888STARZ Partners. Let’s go!

Why Kenya Is a Promising iGaming Market

Kenya is one of the most active online betting markets in East Africa. Three key factors make this country particularly attractive for influencer marketing:

1. A young mobile audience

Over 75% of Kenya’s population is under 35. Most rely on smartphones (few can afford a PC or laptop), spend hours on social media, and eagerly join in football discussions and betting.

2. Football as a national obsession

European top leagues — especially the English Premier League — are a huge part of local culture. Matches are discussed on TikTok, in Telegram chats, on the streets, and in pubs. This passion for football creates a steady, loyal demand for betting.

3. Supportive regulation and payment infrastructure

Sports betting is legal in Kenya, and local payment systems like M‑PESA make it quick and easy to deposit and withdraw funds. That’s critical for conversion and for building trust with the audience.

Add to that the rapid spread of internet access and the explosive growth of TikTok — one of the most engaging platforms in the region — and you have ideal conditions for driving traffic through local creators.

888STARZ Partners hold a local license and are fully authorized to operate in the Kenyan market. This opens up new opportunities for affiliates: you can drive traffic without restrictions and with complete confidence in regulatory compliance. You can find more details in our recent update.

How Kenyan TikTok and Instagram Creators Work

Kenya has all the hallmarks of a perfect market for affiliates. But before you approach top influencers with an offer, it’s crucial to understand who they are, how to work with them, and how to avoid wasting your budget. Let’s start with audience size.

TikTok and Instagram in Kenya: numbers and potential

In Kenya, TikTok isn’t just a popular app — it’s essentially the country’s main media platform.
According to DataReportal (2025):

• TikTok is the #1 reach channel. Over 15 million users aged 18+ are active on the platform (around 46% of local internet traffic). That’s nearly half of the entire adult online audience in the country.
• 36% of Kenyans use TikTok to follow sports news, placing the country second in the world for this metric.

Instagram in Kenya is more niche, but with a highly engaged user base. Its audience is smaller — around 3.5 million users — but growing fast (+14.8% year‑over‑year).

Given that football is one of the most discussed topics on these platforms, iGaming traffic here can be monetized many times more effectively than through standard banners or routine Google Ads campaigns.

What type of content “takes off” in Kenya

Broadly, the most popular formats fall into three categories:

1. Football recaps and fan interviews

Popular Kenya influencers hit the streets after matches to capture fans’ reactions — short videos filled with debates, goal discussions, and live emotions. A great example: Gor Mahia fans after a derby.

2. Entertainment with a football twist

Comedians, satirists, DJs, and hosts seamlessly weave football into broader entertainment content. This includes challenges, covers, DJ sets, and reaction clips — perfect for lightweight offers with simple landing pages.

3. Interactive content and challenges

Match predictions, “guess the score” challenges, and reaction clips to final results — all of these can be easily tied to a referral link without overt advertising.

Other formats that perform well include joint live streams (“watching the match together”), real‑time goal reactions, highlight Instagram reels, and even throwbacks to historic goals. There’s a huge variety of content, and the target audience engages with it enthusiastically.

How to Find and Work with Influencers

It’s not enough to just spot a profile with a million followers — you need to be sure that the creator can actually drive registrations and other target actions. Here’s how to approach it step by step.

Step 1 — Finding influencers

• Search within TikTok and Instagram by hashtags: #footballkenya, #bettingtipske, #kenyatiktokers, #kenyabloggers and others. Local slang tags also work: #Ingo, #Sherehe, #Balling254.
• Local directories and databases: Platforms like Hive Influence, Wowzi Africa, and Infludata have catalogs of regional content creators.
• TikTok creator marketplace: It operates in Kenya (though not every influencer is listed). The benefit is transparent analytics and the ability to strike official deals.
• Telegram groups for affiliates based in Kenya: These can be found manually via Reddit and Twitter communities.

Focus on male audiences aged 18–35 in Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa — that’s the core betting demographic.

Step 2 — Vetting them

Don’t fixate on follower counts and views

Far more important are reach consistency, engagement on posts, and how their audience reacts to promotional content. Ideally, break down likes, comments, and shares relative to follower numbers.

Check the audience location

Most of their followers should be from Kenya. English and Swahili are spoken in neighboring countries too, so overlaps are common. Followers outside Kenya won’t count in your partner program — and some won’t even be able to place bets.

Review their content

For the betting niche, they should have visible football‑related stories, active comments from followers, and challenges tied to football.

Use analytics tools

TikTok Analytics (GEO and age data if they have a Pro account), Instagram Insights, HypeAuditor, or Storyclash. Ask them directly for screenshots, or analyze via third‑party tools yourself.

By the way, here’s engagement rate (ER) benchmarks:

• <2% — low
• 3–5% — acceptable
• 6%+ — strong

Also look for stable views and likes within ±20% of their follower count.

Step 3 — Negotiating deals

You can work with Kenyan influencers in two main ways — directly or through agencies.

Direct contact:

1. Message them via DM or email in their bio: Always include specifics: what you want, budget, KPIs, deadlines, and number of posts.
2. Use Google Docs or Forms to confirm terms: format (storytelling, integration, giveaway), deadline, price, and performance bonuses. Request post‑publication analytics screenshots as well.

Example pitch:

Hi, love your content! We’d like you to make a 30‑second clip about the Arsenal vs. Man City match, with a prediction and the phrase: “Place your bet through this link”. Payment: 30,000 KES fixed + 100 KES per registration. We work via Google Docs, payment via M‑Pesa or bank transfer. Let us know if you’re interested!

Through agencies and platforms:

1. A faster way to launch campaigns. Pros are: protection, contracts, reporting. Great when working with top‑tier influencers or managing a pool of 10+ micro‑influencers at once.
2. One of the main cons here is agency commission. Usually it ranges from 10 to 20%.

By following these steps, you can quickly connect with a Kenyan content creator and, in many cases, start collaborating the very same day.

Creator Rankings: Top 10 on TikTok and Instagram

Kenya is one of the most vibrant African markets with a huge passion for sports — especially football — and a thriving influencer scene on TikTok and Instagram. Below are the most relevant names for 2025, based on data from Hive Influence and Heepsy.

Top TikTok Influencers in Kenya

#	Influencer	Followers	ER (%)	Notes
1	Arap Uria (@arapuria)	1.7 M	3.47	Leading sports creator
2	elisha wa chocha	890 K	0.95	Sports videos
3	Sammy Saich (@sammysaich)	416 K	0.96	Analytical content
4	Little Lulu	166 K	0.39	Reviews, street content
5	IBYSEAN	146 K	0.18	Sports and entertainment
6	kenyasports	125 K	0.05	Sports news
7	ASHANNY MILLIENS	118 K	1.64	Sports/lifestyle mix
8	Trending in Kenya	107 K	0.05	Trends and football
9	ONLINETZMEDIA	103 K	0.09	News and sports
10	Stephen Mukangai	98 K	0.26	Local reach

Top Instagram Influencers in Kenya

#	Influencer	Followers	ER (%)	Notes
1	TRAPSTAR™ (@kenyan.oxygen_)	507 K	0.31	Youth sport style
2	Ghostie Ghostie (@_ghosti.e)	156 K	0.39	Trends, sports
3	Mozzart Bet Kenya	44 K	0.03	Betting brand
4	East West Fashions KE	43.9 K	1.76	Sports/fashion
5	Ali Hassan Kauleni	41.4 K	0.02	Local sports
6	KISS TV KENYA	40.1 K	0.35	Media‑focused
7	Nyashinski (@realshinski)	792 K	0.02	Music and sports
8	Shon Osimbo (@shonosimbo)	51 K	1.63	Sports/fitness
9	Stephen Mukangai (@smukangai)	21 K	0.01	Sports motivator
10	Clifton Miheso	—	—	Pro footballer

Always double‑check engagement rates and audience location before launching. Also define KPIs and terms in advance — lock them in a written brief or contract.

Pro tip: Choose a minimum pool of 3–4 creators: one top blogger (for reach), two mid-level (for conversion), and one niche (for the local segment).

How to Launch Creator Campaigns: Payment Models, Formats, and Tracking

Kenyan influencers have their own rhythm, mindset, and approach to advertising. They don’t really work “by the brief” in the way many Western markets do, and terms like CPA or CPL are often unfamiliar. But — they know exactly how to speak to their audience and drive results, if you set up the process properly.

Main payment models

Choose a format based on your risk tolerance and experience:

Flat Fee – the most straightforward model for this GEO. You pay for a specific post or a package of posts. Works best when:

• The creator has a proven, reliable audience.
• You want to test a hypothesis or format.
• Your goal is not just conversions but also reach and brand awareness.

Pro tip: Never pay the full amount upfront. A common practice is 50% in advance and 50% after the post goes live and stats are shared.

Another option: 30% upfront → publication → 70% three days after metrics are collected.

CPA or RevShare – not very common, but possible if:

• The entrepreneur already has experience promoting betting offers.
• You’re ready to give them an upfront incentive (for example, a flat fee + a percentage of results).

Hybrid Model – a golden middle ground between flat fee, CPA, and rev share. For example: “10,000 KES per publication + 200 KES for every player who makes a first deposit”.

Pro tip: If a creator insists on a flat fee, always request analytics on reach and engagement. If they agree to CPA, set clear time limits, e.g.: “We track results for 7 days after publication”.

What content formats perform best

We’ve tested several approaches with Instagram bloggers and TikTokers in Kenya — here’s what performed best:

1. Fan reactions and raw emotions

Short clips right after a match, where the creator talks about the result and naturally mentions the platform: “I placed a bet on this game at 888STARZ — didn’t expect them to score in the first half, but it turned out great!”. These get high engagement, especially if the match is a big one (like a derby).

2. Interactive polls and challenges

Ask the influencer to run a quick poll: “Who’s taking the win today — Man United or Chelsea?”… then suggest making a prediction via your link. You can also tie the poll to a giveaway or a small raffle. This type of format is easy to promote without restrictions and resonates strongly with a younger audience.

3. Match breakdown + prediction

A more universal option: the creator does a story or short TikTok video analyzing an upcoming match and sharing their prediction. The key is to weave in the promo link or mention naturally rather than pushing it directly. This approach works particularly well with micro‑influencers, since their audiences trust personal opinions.

How to track results

Even if you’ve agreed on a flat fee, you need to know exactly what each integration delivered. Here’s how:

• UTM tags and short links: use tools like cutt.ly, bit.ly, or short.io. Create unique links for every creator.
• Promo codes: short and easy to remember, ideally tied to a registration or deposit bonus.
• Screenshots of stats: agree in advance that the entrepreneur will send reach/engagement screenshots 24 and 72 hours after posting.

Pro tip: set your own internal KPI — for example: “at least 1 registration per 1K views”. Use that data to decide whether to keep working with that creator or move on.

How to Scale Campaigns with Kenyan Influencers

Working with influencers based in Kenya isn’t a one‑off tactic — it’s a potentially scalable channel for acquiring bettors. The key is to measure results properly and build a system around them.

What results to expect

In Kenya, short video formats with native messaging convert particularly well. Even micro‑influencers with 10–50K followers can drive solid traffic if the offer is presented right.

Sample performance benchmarks for well‑executed integrations:

• CTR on bio/story links: 1.5–4%
• Conversion to registration: 10–20%
• Conversion to deposit: 3–7%
• Cost per FTD: from $8 to $20 (when working with niche creators whose audiences aren’t overexposed)

You can hit these numbers if:

✔ You pick influencers whose audience actually bets.
✔ The offer is presented in a soft, natural way (prediction, reaction, giveaway).
✔ Tracking links are in place (partner UTM tags or short links).

How to scale

1. Segment creators by performance

Build a table with metrics: reach, clicks, FTDs, cost per FTD, engagement, etc. Quickly filter out “burned out” creators (low ER or overpriced) and irrelevant ones (big views, but few registrations).

2. Move to serial placements

If an influencer delivers good results, lock in a series of integrations:

• 1 post + 1 story per week for a month.
• Direct ads combined with giveaways or bonus offers.

Consistency builds brand recognition and trust.

3. Experiment with formats

• Football reactions/memes: light entry point, no hard selling.
• Match predictions with a CTA: “I’m backing this team — here’s where”.
• Street quizzes: on‑the‑spot polls linked to the offer.

Keep repeating placements only with those who generate FTDs below your target cost.

4. Bring on ambassadors

If a creator consistently performs well, make them an ambassador. Sign them for a month or quarter with a fixed fee and KPIs. This gives you:

• Steady reach.
• Ongoing traffic.
• A loyal audience.

Finally, scale further by building lookalike pools — find similar influencers by content style, reach, and engagement rate.

Why 888STARZ Partners Is the Perfect Program for Kenya

If you’re planning to enter the Kenyan market with football‑related content and ads on TikTok or Instagram, it’s crucial to work with a product that’s truly adapted to the local audience. 888STARZ Partners is one of the few affiliate programs that already “speaks” to Kenyan players in their own native language.

Here’s why our offer works so well in Kenya:

• Full localization. The platform is available in English, and both the website and the app function smoothly even with unstable mobile internet.
• Licensed and trusted. In this GEO, the 888STARZ Partners brand operates legally, which is a key factor for African users.
• M‑Pesa support. The program supports local payment systems, including M‑PESA, which handles the majority of microtransactions in the country.
• Bonuses for registration and first deposit. Our betting offers integrate seamlessly into influencer content and provide an easy entry point with a low barrier.
• Extensive coverage of African football. Beyond top‑tier leagues, we offer betting on Kenyan Premier League matches, giving creators plenty of opportunities to make native predictions. We can also discuss esports offers separately.
• Strong retention and conversions. With a 50% retention rate and Reg2Dep conversion up to 35%, we offer highly competitive conditions for current and future partners.
• Flexible payment models. Choose between up to 50% RevShare or CPA deals up to $200.

On the technical side, our partners get everything they need to scale:

1. Flexible tracking with UTM tags and postbacks.
2. A clear dashboard with analytics for each FTD.
3. Regular payouts without delays (within one week).
4. Dedicated manager support in English.

Main reasons to act right now

The iGaming market in Kenya is expanding rapidly while remaining relatively low in competition — especially in the space of native content. Major international operators are only beginning to explore the region, leaving local and niche partners like 888STARZ with a prime opportunity to establish a strong foothold.

Here’s why launching campaigns in Kenya through TikTok and Instagram creators makes sense right now:

• Minimal competition in content marketing. Local bloggers haven’t been saturated with betting ads, so their audiences still trust them. You can start with small budgets and even work with micro‑influencers.
• Traffic channels are stable. Instead of struggling with account verification and bans on Meta or Google, campaigns run through TikTok and Instagram creators are quicker and more reliable to launch.
• A growing market. Mobile penetration is increasing, interest in betting is climbing, and engagement with sports content on TikTok and Instagram keeps rising.
• Easy to scale. Once you find a working format, you can replicate it with other influencers or expand into nearby markets like Nigeria, Tanzania, Mali, or Zambia.

Partnering with Kenyan TikTok and Instagram creators isn’t just an alternative to the traditional affiliate marketing — it’s a stand‑alone, scalable channel for generating betting leads. While others are still watching and waiting, you can secure your position in this GEO today.