Nairobi: Kenya is setting its sights on becoming Africa's leading digital hub, as preparations intensify for the 2025 Connected Africa Summit. Speaking during a media breakfast in Nairobi, ICT Principal Secretary Eng. John Tanui highlighted the country's growing influence in continental digital transformation. "This summit is more than a conference. It's a strategic platform that brings together governments, innovators, and private sector leaders to shape Africa's digital future," said Tanui.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Connected series, which began as Connected Kenya over 15 years ago, has since evolved into a continental platform. The PS noted its growing relevance in setting Africa's digital agenda from AI and cybersecurity to skills development and innovation ecosystems. Tanui challenged Kenyan startups and tech professionals to leverage the summit's pan-African platform to build partnerships and scale their innovations. "This is your marketplace. Meet customers, forge regional collaborations, and position your solutions for growth," he said.
Tanui outlined several achievements under Kenya's Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), including the rollout of over 100,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable and more than 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots. "Over two million Kenyans now access digital services daily through our public Wi-Fi. This infrastructure is opening up opportunities in e-commerce, learning, and market access, especially in underserved areas," he noted.
Tanui also pointed to Kenya's rise as a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) destination, with global firms such as SAMA, Career Connections International (CCI), and Teleperformance establishing local operations. He acknowledged the growth of local tech manufacturing, with companies like M-Corp and EDA Technologies now producing electronics for both local and export markets. In software and cloud services, Kenya continues to attract major global players, including Microsoft's Africa Development Center, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Apple's new Authorized Training Center at Strathmore University.
The PS reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to emerging technologies. "We are implementing our national AI strategy and working with partners like Cisco to train youth and safeguard digital infrastructure," said the PS. Tanui called on local companies to expand beyond Kenya's borders, revealing that ICT services have now surpassed goods exports, contributing over $1 billion annually. "We have the talent and the infrastructure. It's time for Kenyan companies to lead Africa's digital expansion," he said.
As the Connected Africa Summit 2025 approaches, Tanui urged stakeholders to reflect on progress since the Nairobi Declaration of 2024, and to recommit to building a unified, innovative, and secure digital future for the continent. Cisco Kenya Country Manager, Shain Rahim, reaffirmed the tech giant's commitment to supporting Africa's digital journey. "This is the third year we're sponsoring the summit. It's where government and industry come together to shape the continent's future," she said.
Rahim emphasized Cisco's role in building Kenya's digital skills base through initiatives like the Country Digital Acceleration Program and the Cisco Networking Academy. She also addressed the growing influence of AI, stating that AI offers incredible benefits but also introduces new risks. Rahim emphasized that we need machine-scale defences to match AI-scale threats. Information Communication and Technology Authority CEO Stanley Kamanguya praised the collaborative spirit behind the summit. "This partnership goes beyond funding, it's a show of belief in Kenya's digital transformation journey," he said. Kamanguya noted the summit's growing reach, with close to a thousand delegates already registered, and likened the event to a Formula One pit stop.