Kenya launches ambitious AI roadmap for digital future
Upcoming African tech hub unveils comprehensive National AI Strategy
#Kenya #AIStrategy - A comprehensive Kenya Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-203 was launched by the Ministry of Information, Communications and The Digital Economy on Thursday, positioning the country as a pioneering force in African technological innovation and digital transformation. The new strategy sets out Kenya’s ambition to lead in AI model innovation, R&D and commercialisation, creating solutions tailored to the country’s unique needs, plus those of the African continent. Goals include establishing a robust governance framework for AI; enhancing adoption in key sectors such as agriculture, security, healthcare, education, and public service delivery; and fostering the growth of local AI ecosystems.
SO WHAT? - Kenya’s ICT market size is forecast to reach $11.19 billion in 2025, according to some research houses, and to grow at a CAGR of 5.91% to reach $14.92 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, AI is expected to have a profound impact on the country’s economy, boosting it by as much as $2,4 billion by the year 2030, according to a recent report by Public First. Kenya’s location, growing technology talent pool and recent foreign direct investment deals, could allow it to play a pivotal role in enabling East African’s AI ecosystem
Here are some highlights about this week’s AI Strategy launch:
The Kenya Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2030 has been announced by the Honorable Willian Kabogo Gitau, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications & The Digital Economy at an event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on Thursday.
The strategy aims to establish a robust national framework for AI adoption, with a vision built on three core pillars:
AI Digital Infrastructure;
Data and AI Governance;
AI Research, Innovation and Commercialisation.
The Kenya AI Strategy prioritises developing localised AI models tailored to address unique African challenges, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, and public service delivery, emphasising solutions that directly benefit local communities.
Kenya's approach integrates comprehensive governance mechanisms to ensure ethical AI deployment, including establishing legal frameworks that protect data privacy, promote public accountability, and maintain technological integrity.
The initiative includes significant investments in talent development, with plans to integrate AI literacy across educational curricula and create upskilling programmes to build a skilled workforce capable of driving technological innovation.
International partnerships play a crucial role, and the new strategy was developed with support from the European Union, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Development Research Centre, and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
The strategy proposes a phased implementation approach, beginning with foundational investments in policy, infrastructure, and capacity-building, followed by developing a national AI policy and establishing research and innovation hubs. The key enablers for the new strategy have been defined as:
Talent development
Governance
Investments
Ethics, equity and inclusion
Kenya aims to create an inclusive AI ecosystem that ensures underserved communities are not marginalised, positioning the country as a preferred regional hub for AI research and scalable innovation.
ZOOM OUT - Last year Microsoft and UAE-based AI powerhouse G42 joined forces to orchestrate the largest single private-sector digital investment in Kenya’s history. The investment initiative aims to support economic development across East Africa and create a new Microsoft Azure East Africa Cloud Region. The two companies aim to develop a comprehensive package of digital investments in Kenya, as part of an initiative with the Kenyan Ministry of ICT.
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Read more about Africa’s AI strategies:
Egypt boosts AI startups with new National AI Strategy (Middle East AI News)
Smart Africa forms council to strengthen digital economy (Africa AI News)
Zambia launches AI Strategy to boost jobs & economy (Africa AI News)
African Ministers endorse joint continental AI strategy (Africa AI News)