Kenya’s Digital Economy Acceleration Project has received a $390 million grant from the World Bank. This is the first phase of funding aimed at facilitating the growth of high-speed internet, improving the quality of education and certain government services, and developing skills for the regional digital economy.
The money will be divided into two phases, with the first lasting from 2023 to 2028 and the second lasting from 2026 to 2030.
Kenya intends to promote last-mile broadband connectivity as well as the equitable distribution of digital networks through the program by closing connectivity and digital skills gaps in the burgeoning online market.
Kenya’s digital plan intends to turn the country into a regional ICT hub by expanding fiber optic coverage to 100,000 kilometers and digitizing 80% of public services. The project also aims to improve Kenya’s ability to achieve regional digital integration, with beneficial spillover effects to other nations.
With various breakthroughs and commendable government assistance, Kenya has risen tremendously as a regional IT hub.
President William Ruto’s administration, which took office in August of last year, has stated its goal to expand and accelerate the digital space in order to create more jobs and open up the country to more investment.
The government emphasized Kenya’s progress and promise for future growth in the digital sector during the Connected Summit 2023 earlier this month.
Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy Eliud Owalo addressed the government’s strategic efforts, including the Kenya National Digital Masterplan – 2022-2032, which sees technology as a major pillar in its Transformation Agenda. Agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Healthcare, Housing and Settlements, Digital Superhighway, and the Creative Economy are the five theme areas addressed by the Masterplan.
