Digitalization
The ICT Authority has launched its Strategic Plan (2024-2027) which will steer the organisation in the implementation of government priority policies, programmes and projects with a focus on the Digital Superhighway and the creative economy.
The four-year plan further lays the groundwork for transformational projects such as nationwide digital literacy programs, the expansion of secure broadband infrastructure, and the implementation of e-government services that bring public services to the fingertips of every citizen.
Speaking on Friday during the launch of the strategy, Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Margaret Ndung’u applauded the Authority for the milestone and noted that the Strategy will help guide the implementation and achievements of the Ministry’s projects as indicated in the National Digital Masterplan 2022-2032.
“With this strategic plan, we are building digital bridges that span the width of our great nation, ensuring that no community, no person is left behind in our digital evolution. For me, it is important that women, particularly those in rural areas, are empowered through digital technologies as our future generation is predominantly in their hands,” said Dr Ndung’u.
The CS noted that the Ministry is advancing its plan to expand Kenya’s fibre network coverage countrywide (100,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable), setting up of 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots and developing the 1,450 Digital Village Smart Hubs across the country.
From Left to Right: Stanley Kamanguya, CEO, of the ICT Authority, PS State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunications Prof Edward Kisiang’ani, CS for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Dr Margaret Ndung’u, PS, ICT and Digital Economy, Eng John Tanui and Sylvanus Maritim, ICT Authority Board Chairman during the announcement of the Connected Africa Summit 2024.
The CS announced that Kenya will host the second edition of the Connected Africa Summit to help harmonise regional and continental ICT policies, assuring stakeholders in the ICT sector that the Ministry will continue to streamline policies, invest in infrastructure, and ensure that the regulatory frameworks in place are conducive to both national and international investors.
She said, “Our role as a government is to be a facilitator, to create opportunities and remove barriers, and we are committed to doing that. To our private sector partners, I urge you to continue investing in innovation, training, and infrastructure that will empower the next generation of African leaders. Your involvement is crucial to ensuring that Africa’s digital economy is inclusive and resilient”.
On his part, ICT and Digital Economy PS John Tanui, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to make the Connected Africa Summit 2025 more impactful, stressing the need for collaboration between ICT stakeholders to facilitate the growth of the digital economy.
“As we look towards the 2025 Connected Africa Summit, I’ve had conversations with the ICT Authority and we would like to see the 2025 Summit largely led by the private sector. We must look at this as a platform to share experiences on local manufacturing, software development, and development of ICT solutions. Within the last year, we have seen the introduction of locally manufactured devices and we would like to see more of this across Africa,” Eng Tanui said.
According to ICT Authority CEO, Stanley Kamanguya, the Connected Africa Summit is an important platform that will enable ICT sector players to address the challenges facing the continent.
From Left to Right: Stanley Kamanguya, CEO, of the ICT Authority, PS State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunications Prof Edward Kisiang’ani, CS for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Dr Margaret Ndung’u, PS, ICT and Digital Economy, Eng John Tanui and Sylvanus Maritim, ICT Authority Board Chairman during the announcement of the Connected Africa Summit 2024.
Mr Kamanguya says 2024-2027 strategic plan will enable the Authority bring to life interventions from platforms such as the Connected Africa Summit and drive towards commercialisation of existing government ICT infrastructure.
“Within this Strategy, we have identified some revenue-raising measures that the Authority can undertake to support the government’s agenda on the digital economy. Over the last 10 to 15 years the government has made massive investments in NOFBI infrastructure. We have an opportunity to unlock the value of these investments, collaborate with the private sector and allow them to come into this network and on-sell it to customers. We can then feedback these revenues back to support the implementation of the strategic plan and wider government agenda on the digital economy,” he said.
The event was also attended by Broadcasting and Telecommunication PS, Prof Edward Kisiang’ani, ICT Board Chairman Sylvanus Maritim, ICT sector CEOs and the Connected Africa Summit 2024 partners and sponsors.