YouTube published a MENA update on August 11, 2026 outlining Partner Program changes that take effect on February 1, 2027. The announcement matters to North African creators in supported markets, but creators should confirm availability and their own status inside YouTube Studio rather than assume one rule covers every African country.
For new applicants seeking ads and Premium revenue sharing, YouTube says the requirement will be 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days. The company says this entry-threshold change will not affect creators who are already in YPP, and that Fan Funding and shopping entry thresholds remain unchanged.
Shorts revenue sharing will use another threshold. From February 1, 2027, creators with 10 million qualified Shorts views over 90 days will be eligible for Shorts ads and subscription revenue sharing. Channels below that level remain in YPP and can continue earning from long-form content, with Shorts revenue sharing resuming when the threshold is crossed.
YouTube also announced new incentives tied to Shopping, brand deals and trend growth, with more detail still to come. Its Premium Lite expansion creates separate subscription revenue pools, which are then distributed by watch time or views before the existing long-form and Shorts revenue shares are applied.
The practical next step is to review the new terms in YouTube Studio, record which programme and country features are actually available, and avoid planning 2027 income from headline thresholds alone. This report is based on the official Team YouTube MENA post published August 11, 2026 and checked August 22, 2026.