Over 50 Kenyan productions have been featured on international platforms since 2018, signaling steady growth in the country’s creative industry, according to the Kenya Film Commission CEO Timothy Owase.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, he noted that Kenyan stories are increasingly finding a place on the global stage, driven by a new generation of tech-savvy creatives.
“Kenyan stories are actually in the global spectrum today… we have over 50 products on international platforms,” he said, adding that this progress shows the country is “doing well, but we can do much better.”
He expressed confidence in the quality of local productions, saying Kenya is performing strongly compared to other African markets.
According to Owase, the industry’s growth is largely fueled by young people eager to tell authentic Kenyan stories.
However, he acknowledged several challenges that continue to hinder the sector’s full potential, including funding constraints, inadequate infrastructure, and weak industry organization.
“The challenges are there… these are challenges of infrastructure, think about funding, as well as industry organizations,” he said, urging creatives to work together and form strong guilds to advance their interests.
Owase emphasized the need for a shift in mindset among content creators, encouraging them to approach their work as a business rather than purely entertainment.
“You should not look at your production as purely entertainment… you must be able to look at your production as a real commercial product,” he said, stressing the importance of market research, return on investment, distribution, and strategic communication.
He also called on Kenyans to support local content, noting that many audiences still favor foreign productions despite the quality of local storytelling.
“We have so many Kenyans who are actually following foreign productions as compared to their own, and yet our own content is much greater,” he observed.
To address this, Owase urged creators to adopt deliberate and targeted marketing strategies. “It has to be a proper marketing strategy… very deliberate,” he said, adding that success in the industry depends on understanding audiences and tailoring content to their needs, including practical steps such as subtitling productions for wider reach.
While acknowledging the government’s role in providing an enabling environment, Owase maintained that the responsibility for success ultimately lies with creators.
“Government will only give you an enabling environment… but the actual tactics, it’s up to you as the business person,” he said.
He rallied Kenyans to embrace and champion their own stories, describing the creative economy as a powerful tool for cultural identity, economic growth, and global influence.
