- YouTube announced it is raising the entry requirements for its Partner Programme starting February 1, 2027
- New applicants will need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views, double the current thresholds
- The changes could affect Nigerian creators who depend on Shorts to grow their channels and reach monetisation
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
YouTube has announced it will significantly raise the bar for creators looking to earn money through its Partner Programme, with the new rules taking effect from February 1, 2027.
Creators applying to join the programme from that date will need at least 1,000 subscribers alongside either 8,000 qualified public watch hours within the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views within the previous 90 days.
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Both watch hour and Shorts view thresholds are exactly double what the platform currently requires, while the 1,000-subscriber minimum stays the same.
YouTube described the changes as the first major revision to its Partner Programme entry conditions since 2018, saying the update is designed to ensure the programme continues to reward creators who maintain active and growing audiences as the platform’s creator economy expands.
The company said more than three million creators currently belong to the YouTube Partner Programme, with over 200 billion Shorts views recorded on the platform daily and more than one billion hours of content watched on television every day, BusinessDay reports.
New Shorts Threshold for Existing Members
Alongside the higher entry bar, YouTube is introducing a separate ongoing requirement for creators already in the Partner Programme who wish to keep earning from Shorts.
From February 2027, those creators will need at least 10 million qualified Shorts views within any 90-day window to remain eligible for Shorts advertising and subscription revenue sharing.
Channels that drop below this threshold will not be removed from the programme and will carry on earning from long-form videos.
Shorts revenue sharing will resume automatically once the channel hits the 10 million-view mark again. Importantly, existing programme members will not face the new joining requirements, which apply only to fresh applicants.
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What the Changes Mean for Nigerian Creators
The announcement marks a shift from YouTube’s earlier push to widen access to monetisation.
The platform had previously introduced a lower entry tier requiring just 500 subscribers, three uploads within 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours in 12 months or three million Shorts views in 90 days.
For Nigerian creators, the higher thresholds could make the road to earning from YouTube considerably harder, particularly for smaller channels that use Shorts as a primary tool for building an audience.
At the same time, Nigerian musicians, filmmakers and content creators who have built substantial followings on the platform and attract viewers in high-value advertising markets may be less directly affected.
YouTube’s updated rules place a stronger emphasis on sustained performance and audience consistency as the platform manages the rapid growth of its global creator base.
X ends revenue sharing
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that X has closed new sign-ups for its Revenue Sharing programme and unveiled a replacement scheme, the Original Content Rewards Programme.
The company says will focus on compensating creators who contribute genuine ideas and perspectives to the platform.
The company said the new programme would recognise creators whose original reporting, expertise, commentary, and creativity add meaningful value to conversations on the platform.
Source: Legit.ng