X is set to end its current Revenue Sharing programme on September 7, 2026, as the social media platform moves to a new system designed to reward creators for producing original content.
The new programme, known as the Original Content Rewards Programme, will begin rolling out from September 8, 2026.
For creators who currently earn money from X, the change is important because it affects how they qualify for monetisation, what type of content can earn money and the way impressions are counted.
X announced the change through its official X Creators account on August 7, 2026. Existing Revenue Sharing members will continue earning under the current programme until September 7 before the old system is retired.
For many Nigerians and other creators who use X as an additional source of income, this is not simply a change to a social media feature. It could affect how they plan their content, audience growth and digital income.
I have seen how social media income has become useful to students, small business owners, traders, content creators and people who use online platforms to build an audience. Some people use the money to support their businesses, pay bills or provide extra income for their families.
That is why this latest announcement from X deserves close attention.
What is changing on X?
X has stopped accepting new enrolments into the existing Revenue Sharing programme from August 7, 2026.
However, creators who are already members of the programme will not lose their earnings immediately.
Existing members will continue earning under the old system until September 7, 2026.
The information provided says creators will still receive regular payouts on August 14 and August 28. A final payout is expected around September 11 and will cover eligible earnings accumulated up to the September 7 retirement date.
From September 8, X will begin rolling out access to the Original Content Rewards Programme for existing members.
Creators can check their status through Creator Studio under Original Content Rewards.
Those who have already completed identity verification and linked a payout method will not normally need to repeat those steps.
This means X is not abandoning creator monetisation.
Instead, it is changing what it wants to reward.
Why is X introducing the Original Content Rewards Programme?
The biggest difference is the focus on original content.
Over time, social media platforms have faced problems with reposted videos, copied posts, low-effort content and people trying to increase engagement simply to make money.
The information provided for this article notes that many creators had noticed feeds becoming filled with reposts, slightly edited videos and engagement farming.
The new system is intended to place more importance on creators who provide their own ideas, experience, reporting, creativity, analysis and meaningful commentary.
This is an important change.
If your strategy on X has been to find a viral video, repost it and add a short sentence, the new system could be difficult for you.
But if you write your own analysis, make your own videos, share your personal experience, report what you see or add something useful to an existing conversation, you are closer to the type of content X wants to reward.
In simple terms, X wants creators to stop depending heavily on other people’s work and start producing content that has their own identity.
Who can apply for the new X monetisation programme?
Creators who want to apply for the Original Content Rewards Programme must meet several requirements.
According to the information provided, applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Live in a country where the programme is available.
- Have a personal or business account that is in good standing.
- Have an active X Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business subscription.
- Have at least 500 verified followers.
- Have at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users during the previous 90 days.
- Regularly post original content.
There is an important point here.
Meeting the numbers does not automatically mean that X will approve your application.
The platform will still review applications.
If an application is rejected, the information provided says the creator can appeal once. After an unsuccessful appeal, the creator can reapply after 90 days if the eligibility requirements are still met.
Creators who are accepted also need to continue following X’s rules.
They need to keep their required Premium subscription active, continue producing original content and avoid activities such as fraud, bots and artificial engagement.
Accounts that are currently paused because of previous policy violations cannot enrol while that pause remains in place.
How will creators make money under the new system?
Under the Original Content Rewards Programme, earnings will come from qualified impressions on original content.
This is where creators need to pay attention.
Not every view will count.
A qualified impression is described as a unique view from a Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business user on their Home Timeline, where at least 50 per cent of the post is visible.
If the same person views the same post several times, those multiple views do not continue counting as separate qualified impressions.
Promoted, paid or artificial impressions also do not qualify.
X is expected to make payments every two weeks to approved creators who remain eligible.
There is usually a minimum payment threshold, described in the source information as commonly around $30, before a payment is released.
However, X has not published a fixed amount that creators will receive for every impression.
The amount earned depends on the number of qualified Premium Home Timeline views received by a creator’s original posts.
This means creators should not assume that 500,000 impressions will automatically produce a particular amount of money.
The quality and type of impressions matter under the new system.
What does X consider original content?
This is probably the most important part of the new programme.
Creators who want to continue earning should understand what X considers original.
Examples of original content include:
- Articles, posts and threads written by the creator.
- Original reporting and analysis.
- Photos taken or produced by the creator.
- Videos created by the creator.
- Memes, graphics and illustrations designed by the creator.
- Personal commentary that adds a useful perspective.
- Existing material that has been meaningfully transformed through analysis, humour, narration or creative editing.
On the other hand, simply reposting somebody else’s content is not enough.
Re-uploading another person’s video with their watermark or logo does not qualify simply because you added it to your account.
Minor changes such as cropping a video or changing its speed are also not enough.
A basic caption that only tells people what they can already see in the video is also unlikely to qualify.
Light summaries that add little new information are also excluded from the type of original content the programme is looking for.
The simple question creators should ask themselves is this:
“If my post is removed from the internet, is there something in it that only I contributed?”
If the answer is your own experience, analysis, reporting, creativity, humour, explanation or knowledge, you are creating something more valuable than a simple repost.
What existing X creators should do now
If you are already earning through X Revenue Sharing, there is no need to panic.
You still have time to prepare for the new system.
Continue producing quality content until September 7 so you can remain eligible for the final earnings under the old programme.
At the same time, start checking Creator Studio for your Original Content Rewards status.
This is also a good time to look at your recent posts.
Go through your content and ask yourself:
How much of my content is actually mine?
How many of my posts are just reposts?
Do I provide useful information?
Do I explain things in my own words?
Do I add personal experience?
Do people follow me because of what I create or simply because I share what other people have already created?
These questions are becoming more important.
What if you are not currently monetised on X?
If you have never joined Revenue Sharing, the old programme is no longer available for new enrolment.
The focus should now be on the requirements of the new Original Content Rewards Programme.
That means working towards the required number of verified followers, building qualified Home Timeline impressions and maintaining an active Premium subscription.
More importantly, creators should start producing original content consistently.
The source material recommends treating an X account like a small business.
That is a good way to look at it.
If you run a small business, you do not simply open your shop and wait for customers. You learn what customers want, improve your products and track what works.
The same approach can work with content creation.
Look at your best-performing posts.
Find out what made people interested.
Then create more useful content around that area without simply repeating the same thing.
Do not make the mistake of chasing impressions blindly
One of the biggest mistakes creators could make after hearing about the new requirements is mass-posting low-quality content simply to reach the required impression figures.
That can become a problem.
The source material also warns against engagement manipulation, artificial engagement and similar attempts to game the system.
Having many impressions does not automatically mean you have built a sustainable content business.
You need the right audience.
For example, someone who writes about personal finance does not need millions of random viewers who have no interest in money.
A smaller audience that trusts the creator can sometimes be more valuable than a large audience that does not care about what the creator shares.
Premium subscription will matter
Another important requirement is the X Premium subscription.
Creators who want to participate need an active Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business subscription.
This requirement should not be ignored.
If content creation is part of your income plan, the subscription becomes one of the costs of running that online activity.
However, creators should also do their own calculations.
Do not pay for a subscription simply because you think it guarantees income.
It does not.
You still need to meet the other requirements, get approved and produce content that attracts qualified impressions.
What the change means for Nigerian creators
This change is important for Nigerian creators because many people now use social media for more than entertainment.
X is used by journalists, students, business owners, financial educators, traders, technology professionals, politicians, entrepreneurs and people building personal brands.
For some people, social media has also become a way to attract customers.
A person selling fashion products can use X to show new products.
A financial educator can explain money matters.
A technology professional can share useful information.
A business owner can discuss lessons from running a business.
A graduate can build a professional reputation by sharing knowledge in their field.
These are all examples of content that can build an audience around a person’s own knowledge and experience.
The new X system could therefore encourage more creators to focus on what they know instead of simply copying what is already trending.
This could be good news for genuine creators
There is another side to this change.
Creators who have spent years building their own voice could find the new system easier to adapt to.
Imagine two accounts.
The first account spends most of its time reposting viral videos.
The second account creates original explanations, writes detailed threads and shares personal experiences.
If the platform increasingly rewards original work, the second creator has a stronger foundation.
This does not mean every original creator will automatically earn more.
X has not published a fixed rate per qualified impression, according to the information available in the source material.
But it does mean the direction is clear.
Creators need to bring something of their own.
Do not depend on X alone for your income
There is one lesson I would encourage every creator to take seriously.
Do not build your entire financial life around one social media platform.
X can change its rules.
YouTube can change its monetisation policy.
Facebook can change how it distributes content.
TikTok can change its creator programme.
Any platform can change the way it shares advertising or creator revenue.
That is why digital income should be treated as one part of a wider financial plan.
If you earn money from content creation, consider saving part of it, investing carefully where appropriate, improving your skills and developing other income sources.
Your ability to create useful content is more important than any single platform.
Will creators lose their existing X Revenue Sharing earnings?
No.
Existing creators will continue earning under the old Revenue Sharing programme until September 7, 2026.
The information provided says the final payment will be made around September 11 and will cover eligible earnings up to the retirement date.
Creators should therefore not assume that the retirement of Revenue Sharing means money already earned will disappear.
Can new creators join the new programme immediately?
Access to the Original Content Rewards Programme will initially be rolled out to existing Revenue Sharing members.
Other creators will need to watch Creator Studio for information about when wider applications become available.
The eligibility requirements still apply.
Will the new programme pay more than Revenue Sharing?
There is no confirmed fixed answer to this yet.
The information available does not provide a fixed rate for qualified impressions.
Instead, earnings will depend on the volume of qualified Premium Home Timeline impressions received by original content.
This means some creators could potentially benefit from the new focus on quality and originality, while creators who depended heavily on reposts and high-volume content could struggle.
What happens if my monetisation was previously paused?
Creators whose monetisation has been paused because of previous violations will not be able to enrol in the Original Content Rewards Programme while the pause remains active.
This makes it important for creators to follow X’s rules instead of trying to find shortcuts.
Do existing creators need to verify their identity again?
Creators who already completed identity verification for Revenue Sharing and have a valid payout method will normally not need to repeat the process.
The transition is therefore expected to be easier for existing members who already have their account and payment details properly set up.
My advice to X creators
If you are currently making money from X, use this period to prepare instead of worrying.
Start creating more original posts.
Stop depending heavily on reposts.
Share what you know.
Tell your own stories.
Explain things in your own words.
Create videos yourself where possible.
Write useful threads.
Give your audience information they cannot get simply by seeing the same post copied from another account.
If you run a business, use your experience to educate your audience.
If you are a professional, share what you know.
If you are a student, document what you are learning.
If you are a journalist or content creator, add your own reporting and analysis.
The question should not always be, “How can I get more impressions?”
A better question is, “What can I create that people will find useful?”
That mindset can help you beyond X.
Final thoughts
X ending Revenue Sharing on September 7, 2026, does not mean creator income on the platform is ending.
It means the rules are changing.
From September 8, the platform will begin moving existing members towards the Original Content Rewards Programme, with a stronger focus on original content and qualified impressions from Premium users.
For creators, this is a warning not to build an online income strategy around copying other people’s work.
It is also an opportunity.
The internet is full of information, but people still want to hear from real people with real experience, useful knowledge and something different to say.
If you are a creator, this is the time to improve your work.
And if you earn money online, remember that platform income should be managed like any other income. Save some. Reinvest in yourself. Build other income streams. Do not allow one platform to control your entire financial future.
The strongest creator is not necessarily the person who gets the most viral post.
It is the person who can continue creating value even when the platform changes its rules.
That is the real lesson from X’s latest monetisation change.
Source: XCreator Handle