X, formerly known as Twitter, has recently suspended revenue payments for a significant number of Nigerian creators on its platform. Estimates suggest that between 80% to 90% of monetized accounts in the country have been flagged for various policy violations, leading to an abrupt halt in their income stream. Nigerian creators first noticed these suspensions earlier this week when their monetization dashboards displayed paused payment statuses.

Upon seeking clarification from X's AI assistant, Grok, creators received confirmation that the platform had indeed suspended payouts due to violations such as low-effort spam, engagement farming, and deliberate attempts to manipulate the app's intricate algorithms. This widespread suspension appears to be directly linked to specific courses that reportedly taught creators how to exploit X's monetization framework. Several users on the platform have pointed out that an individual was allegedly charging ₦3,000 to instruct others on tactics for artificially inflating impression and engagement metrics, with the explicit goal of helping them qualify for and maximize their revenue payouts.

X's Creator Revenue Sharing program, a system designed to compensate users based on engagement primarily from verified subscribers through impressions on replies and comments, had become a substantial source of income for many Nigerian creators, with some earning hundreds of dollars monthly. However, as the program expanded, so did efforts to exploit its mechanisms. Users began to share various systems for manipulating and maximizing impressions, some of which were legitimate, but others clearly crossed into manipulative territory. The alleged courses took this a step further, packaging strategies specifically designed to trick the algorithm into overvaluing low-quality content that did not provide genuine value.

Predictably, X's sophisticated systems eventually detected these anomalies. The platform employs advanced machine learning capabilities to analyze billions of posts, allowing it to identify patterns indicative of artificial engagement or content crafted solely for farming impressions rather than fostering authentic interaction. Once an account is flagged for such activities, it is suspended from monetization pending a thorough review.

Nigerian creators affected by these suspensions have largely pointed fingers at a user identified as @sirdavidbent, who is accused of selling the aforementioned monetization courses. One user commented, "The guy is selling monetisation courses on X for 3k," attributing the mass suspensions to the widespread adoption of the gaming tactics taught. Another creator highlighted the inherent futility of attempting to outsmart the platform's detection systems, stating, "You can’t outsmart a machine designed specifically to analyse you. It reads millions of messages per hour. It will find you out on closer inspection."

Despite the prevailing sentiment, not everyone agrees that these courses are the sole cause. Some creators argue that anyone caught manipulating the system deserves suspension, irrespective of where they acquired the tactics. One user expressed contentment with legitimate earnings, noting, "I don’t know why people can’t be content with whatever Elon gives them," before their own payouts were suspended.

As of now, X has not released an official statement regarding the Nigerian suspensions, and the estimated 80-90% figure remains unconfirmed by the company. Grok has advised affected creators to meticulously check their dashboards and submit appeals through X support, noting that some accounts suspended in error have been reinstated after review. For the time being, Nigerian creators who had come to rely on the app’s payouts are left in a state of uncertainty, awaiting the outcomes of their appeals or the potential permanent revocation of their monetization privileges.