Kenya takes lead with Africa ICT plan

Kenya takes lead with Africa ICT plan.

Kenya is positioning itself as a leader of the technology economy on the continent with the launch of a new ICT roadmap.

The country is also championing the formation of a digital single market for Africa, mirroring the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Kenya’s Digital Economy Blueprint, which was launched on Wednesday by President Uhuru Kenyatta in Kigali, Rwanda at the Transform Africa Summit 2019, has a raft of proposals that are expected to deepen the use of technology.

It is also expected to bridge the digital divide in the country. While Kenya is a leader in many aspects of technology globally such as in mobile money, it faces challenges that have stalled some national projects.

President Kenyatta implored his peers to adopt the blueprint within their own countries, terming it Kenya’s contribution to developing an African-wide digital economy. “This Digital Economy Blueprint serves as one of Kenya’s contributions in championing the growth of an African-wide digital economy for all of Smart Africa Alliance members,” he said.

“It is our hope and wish that all the member states shall peruse this blueprint and find value in adapting it within their own ecosystems to realise the potential of digital transformation that will leapfrog our economies to prosperous heights.”

Kenya has its fair share of firsts in the technology space, but some policy missteps in recent years could be giving other countries space to catch up.

This has seen many projects such as the Konza technopolis as well as Ajira that was supposed to offer a million online jobs to the youth stall.