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Career & Employment

Lulu Hassan Salary Per Month: Everything You Need to Know

  • BY waceke
  • March 20, 2025
Lulu Hassan

Lulu Hassan stands as one of Kenya’s most prominent media personalities, a household name synonymous with excellence in Swahili journalism. As a co-anchor of Nipashe Wikendi on Citizen TV alongside her husband Rashid Abdalla, her professional journey reflects dedication, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Who is Lulu Hassan?

Lulu Khadija Hassan is a celebrated Kenyan journalist, television anchor, and producer, born and raised in Mombasa County. With a career spanning nearly two decades, she has risen from a radio presenter at Radio Salaam to a primetime news anchor at Royal Media Services’ Citizen TV, Kenya’s leading media house. Alongside her husband Rashid Abdalla, Lulu co-hosts the popular Nipashe Wikendi bulletin, a Saturday and Sunday Swahili news program that commands a significant viewership. Beyond broadcasting, she is a co-founder of Jiffy Pictures, a production company behind hit Swahili dramas such as Maria, Moyo, and Aziza, aired on Citizen TV.

Her multifaceted career—spanning journalism, production, and entrepreneurship—positions her as a key figure in Kenya’s media ecosystem. For business professionals, Lulu’s success underscores the potential for diversified income streams, a model increasingly relevant in Kenya’s competitive economy.

Lulu Hassan’s Salary Per Month: The Core Figures

Estimating Lulu Hassan’s salary per month involves piecing together data from credible media reports, industry benchmarks, and insider analyses, as exact figures are not publicly disclosed by Royal Media Services.

Base Salary at Citizen TV

  • Estimated Monthly Pay: Ksh. 400,000 – Ksh. 600,000
  • Basis: Lulu is a senior anchor with over a decade at Citizen TV, a tenure that places her among the top earners in Kenyan media. Reports from 2020-2023 pegged her salary at Ksh. 300,000 – Ksh. 550,000, but with annual increments and inflation adjustments (5-7% per year per KNBS 2024 data), her 2025 earnings likely fall in this higher range.
  • Comparison: This aligns with salaries of other primetime anchors at Citizen TV, such as Jeff Koinange (estimated at Ksh. 800,000 – Ksh. 1 million) and Victoria Rubadiri (Ksh. 500,000+).

Allowances and Perks

  • Monthly Allowances: Ksh. 60,000 – Ksh. 150,000
  • Breakdown:
    • Dressing Allowance: Ksh. 60,000 (noted by Venas News, 2020, likely higher now due to inflation).
    • Transport/Commuter Allowance: Ksh. 20,000 – Ksh. 40,000.
    • Other Perks: Bonuses, appearance fees, and travel allowances for special assignments, potentially adding Ksh. 30,000 – Ksh. 50,000.
  • Total with Allowances: Ksh. 460,000 – Ksh. 750,000 per month from Citizen TV alone.

Additional Income Streams

Lulu’s earnings extend beyond her anchor role, significantly boosting her monthly income:

  • Jiffy Pictures: As co-owner, Lulu earns from producing popular TV dramas. Industry estimates suggest Jiffy Pictures generates Ksh. 5 million – Ksh. 10 million annually, translating to Ksh. 400,000 – Ksh. 800,000 monthly per partner (split with Rashid Abdalla).
  • Brand Endorsements: Lulu charges Ksh. 5,000 per Instagram post (per 2022 KenyaReports), but with her 1 million+ followers in 2025, rates may have risen to Ksh. 10,000 – Ksh. 20,000 per post. Assuming 5-10 posts monthly, this adds Ksh. 50,000 – Ksh. 200,000.
  • Business Ventures: Her beauty salon, The Hair and Beauty Place in Kilimani, Nairobi, likely nets Ksh. 100,000 – Ksh. 300,000 monthly, based on upscale salon benchmarks.

Total Monthly Earnings

  • Range: Ksh. 900,000 – Ksh. 1.8 million
  • Breakdown: Ksh. 460,000 – Ksh. 750,000 (Citizen TV) + Ksh. 400,000 – Ksh. 800,000 (Jiffy Pictures) + Ksh. 50,000 – Ksh. 200,000 (endorsements) + Ksh. 100,000 – Ksh. 300,000 (salon).
  • Net After Tax: With Kenya’s PAYE rates (up to 30% for high earners), her take-home pay likely ranges from Ksh. 630,000 – Ksh. 1.26 million monthly.

Contextualizing Lulu Hassan’s Earnings

Industry Benchmarks

  • Citizen TV Salaries: Top anchors earn Ksh. 400,000 – Ksh. 1 million, with junior reporters at Ksh. 100,000 – Ksh. 200,000 (Media Council of Kenya, 2024).
  • Competitors: NTV’s Linus Kaikai earns Ksh. 600,000+, while KTN’s Zubeida Kananu is estimated at Ksh. 400,000 – Ksh. 500,000.
  • Regional Comparison: In Uganda, top anchors earn UGX 2 million – UGX 3 million (Ksh. 70,000 – Ksh. 100,000), showing Kenya’s media market is more lucrative.

National Wage Context

  • Average Kenyan Salary: Ksh. 30,000 monthly (KNBS, 2024), meaning Lulu earns 30-60 times the national average.
  • Private Sector: Senior managers in Nairobi average Ksh. 150,000 – Ksh. 300,000, placing Lulu’s income in the elite tier.

Gender Perspective

Lulu’s earnings highlight progress in gender equity within Kenya’s media. Female anchors like Victoria Rubadiri and Anne Ngugi match or exceed male counterparts, a shift from a decade ago when pay gaps were more pronounced.

Factors Influencing Lulu Hassan’s Salary

Several dynamics shape Lulu Hassan’s monthly salary:

  1. Experience and Tenure: Nearly 20 years in media, with a decade at Citizen TV, justify her high pay.
  2. Audience Reach: Nipashe Wikendi consistently ranks among Kenya’s top programs, with Citizen TV commanding 40% of the national viewership (GeoPoll, 2024).
  3. Negotiation Power: Her unique co-anchoring role with Rashid Abdalla and production success enhance her bargaining leverage.
  4. Market Demand: Swahili fluency and cultural resonance make her indispensable in Kenya’s diverse media landscape.
  5. Economic Trends: Inflation (5.5% in 2024, per CBK) and rising living costs drive salary adjustments.

For businesses, these factors mirror the importance of expertise, brand value, and market positioning in determining compensation—a lesson applicable beyond media.

Beyond Salary: Lulu Hassan’s Wealth and Investments

Lulu’s monthly salary is just one piece of her financial puzzle. Her net worth, estimated at Ksh. 80 million – Ksh. 100 million in 2025 (up from Ksh. 27 million in 2022 per Information Cradle), reflects a diversified portfolio:

  • Jiffy Pictures: A multimillion-shilling enterprise, producing content for Citizen TV and other platforms.
  • Real Estate: Properties in Nairobi (a mansion) and Kwale County (a modest home), valued at Ksh. 20 million – Ksh. 50 million combined.
  • Beauty Salon: The Hair and Beauty Place caters to Nairobi’s upscale market.
  • Vehicles: A Toyota Land Cruiser V8 (Ksh. 10 million+) and other luxury cars.

Her wealth underscores a strategic approach to income diversification, a model Kenyan entrepreneurs can emulate.

Lulu Hassan’s earnings carry broader significance for Kenya’s business community:

  • Talent Investment: High salaries for top performers like Lulu signal the value of retaining skilled professionals, a principle applicable to any sector.
  • Media Influence: Her income reflects the media’s economic power, with Citizen TV’s ad revenue (Ksh. 10 billion annually, per RMS estimates) funding such paychecks—relevant for firms advertising on these platforms.
  • Economic Ripple: Her spending power supports local businesses, from real estate to retail.
  • Gender Equity: Her success challenges traditional pay disparities, encouraging businesses to prioritize fairness.

A 2024 KEPSA report notes that media and entertainment contribute 2.5% to Kenya’s GDP (Ksh. 300 billion), with figures like Lulu driving this growth.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite her success, Lulu’s salary and career aren’t without scrutiny:

  • Pay Disparity: Junior Citizen TV staff earn Ksh. 50,000 – Ksh. 100,000, highlighting a stark gap.
  • Public Perception: High earnings draw criticism in a country where 33% live below the poverty line (World Bank, 2024).
  • Work-Life Balance: Co-anchoring with her husband and managing businesses raises questions about burnout.

These challenges mirror broader debates on income inequality and work demands in Kenya’s private sector.

Looking to 2025 and beyond, several trends could impact Lulu Hassan’s salary per month:

  • Digital Shift: As Citizen TV expands online via YouTube and apps, her visibility—and pay—could rise.
  • Production Growth: Jiffy Pictures’ potential expansion into regional markets (e.g., Tanzania) may double her production income.
  • Economic Climate: A projected GDP growth of 5.2% in 2025 (IMF) could spur media ad spending, supporting salary hikes.
  • Personal Brand: More endorsements or a solo venture could push her earnings past Ksh. 2 million monthly.

For businesses, her trajectory suggests investing in digital platforms and personal branding as growth levers.

Lulu Hassan’s salary per month—ranging from Ksh. 900,000 to Ksh. 1.8 million—reflects the rewards of talent, tenacity, and diversification. For Kenyan business professionals, her story is a blueprint for success and a reminder of media’s economic clout.