Kenya and UK deepen digital collaboration through new ICT and innovation initiatives
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
Kenya and the United Kingdom are strengthening their long-standing relationship through a renewed focus on digital transformation, innovation, artificial intelligence, and information and communication technology (ICT).
British High Commissioner to Kenya Mr Matt Baugh indicated that as both countries seek to harness the opportunities presented by emerging technologies, their collaboration is evolving beyond traditional diplomatic and trade ties into a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating digital growth, fostering innovation, and creating economic opportunities.
Mr Baugh noted that the relationship between Kenya and the UK has historically been built on trade, investment, education, and development cooperation.
He however added that recent years have seen digital transformation emerge as a key pillar of the partnership.
The envoy pledged to deepen development cooperation with Nakuru County Government in digital skills, agriculture, education, innovation and energy.
He made the commitment during an official visit to the county to assess ongoing UK-Kenya development initiatives and identify opportunities for expanded collaboration.
Mr Baugh was received by Deputy Governor Dr David Kones, who led discussions on programmes aimed at improving livelihoods and expanding opportunities for young people.
A key focus was the ‘Skills for Inclusive Digital Participation (SIDP)’, supported by the British Council to help digitally excluded communities acquire practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
The High Commissioner later visited the Bondeni Digital Hub in Nakuru Town East, where young people are receiving training in digital technologies, including artificial intelligence.
The community hub serves youth, women and persons with disabilities from Bondeni, Free Area and Menengai East.
It operates in coordination with the county Directorate of ICT to provide targeted technical training and help participants develop skills that can support employment and enterprise creation.
The visit comes as Kenya accelerates efforts to develop a digitally skilled workforce capable of participating in emerging industries and online work.
The renewed cooperation comes at a time when Kenya is positioning itself as a leading digital economy in Africa. Through investments in digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, digital skills development, cybersecurity, and innovation ecosystems, the country is pursuing an ambitious agenda to become a regional technology hub.
Mr Baugh indicated that the United Kingdom continues to expand its engagement with African technology ecosystems, recognizing the continent’s growing importance in the global digital economy.
In July 2025, Kenya and the United Kingdom signed a renewed Strategic Partnership covering the period 2025–2030. The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration across several sectors, including technology, innovation, trade, climate action, and security. Both governments identified digital technology and emerging innovations as critical areas for future cooperation.
The partnership reflects a broader recognition that digital technologies are becoming central to economic competitiveness, public service delivery, and sustainable development.
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy says Kenya faces shortages of advanced digital skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, coding, cybersecurity and mobile application development.
The skills gap has become increasingly important as technology changes the nature of work across sectors.
A 2025 World Bank study covering nearly five million online job vacancies in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda found rising demand for digital competencies across occupations.
The study projects that digital skills will be required for between 50 and 55 percent of jobs in Kenya by 2030.
The demand is also expanding beyond traditional technology jobs.
Workers in agriculture, manufacturing, financial services, trade and other sectors increasingly require digital competencies to access markets, manage information and use technology productively.
The British Council says its SIDP programme targets people who face digital exclusion, including young people, women and persons with disabilities.
The programme seeks to equip participants with skills that enable them to access online information, services and employment opportunities while improving their livelihoods.
The initiative complements Kenya’s national digital transformation agenda, which identifies digital skills, innovation, digital businesses and entrepreneurship as key drivers of economic transformation.
The Ministry of ICT reported in 2025 that 49,513 young people had received digital skills training through the Ajira Digital programme.
It also reported that the Business Process Outsourcing sector had created 19,650 new jobs against a target of 10,000.
Kenya’s digital economy is also expanding rapidly. The Ministry of ICT estimates that the country’s digital economy was worth about Sh543.73 billion Kenya shillings in 2026 and could approach Sh1.68 trillion Kenya shillings by 2035.
The ministry says digital platforms are increasingly enabling young entrepreneurs, small businesses and informal enterprises to participate in markets and create employment.
The opportunity extends beyond Kenya. The International Labour Organization estimates that about 230 million digital jobs could require digital skills in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
The World Bank has similarly warned that more than 22 million Africans enter the workforce every year, increasing pressure on governments to create productive employment opportunities.
However, the region continues to face significant barriers to digital inclusion.
The World Bank reports that only 22 per cent of people in sub-Saharan Africa were using mobile internet in 2021, despite 84 per cent living in areas covered by 3G networks.
It also identified affordability, digital skills and gender disparities as major barriers to wider digital participation.
Deputy Governor Dr Kones observed that Kenya has made significant progress in developing its digital economy over the past decade.
He pointed out that the country is widely recognized for pioneering mobile money innovation through M-Pesa and has become one of Africa’s leading startup ecosystems adding that Kenya boasts millions of internet users, a thriving technology sector, and an expanding digital infrastructure network.
Dr Kones observed that the government’s Digital Master Plan 2022–2032 outlines a vision to transform Kenya into a globally competitive digital economy through investments in digital infrastructure, digital skills development, Artificial intelligence, innovation ecosystems, E-government services, cybersecurity and digital public infrastructure.
The Deputy Governor pointed out that Kenya has placed significant emphasis on digital skills development, training millions of young people through programs such as Ajira, Jitume, and Business Process Outsourcing initiatives.
Government data indicates that more than 1.9 million youth have received digital skills training since 2022.
Dr Kones said by investing in skills development, Kenya hopes to create a workforce capable of thriving in an increasingly technology-driven world.
“Technology is increasingly becoming a major driver of international trade. We aim to increase bilateral trade and unlock new economic opportunities through digital innovation,” stated Dr Kones
The Deputy Governor indicated that as Kenya continues its journey toward becoming Africa’s leading digital economy, partnerships such as this will play a critical role in accelerating progress, attracting investment, and creating opportunities for future generations.
Dr Kones stated that such partnerships help accelerate digital transformation, attract investment, strengthen innovation, and create employment opportunities.
The Bondeni model seeks to address some of these challenges by taking digital training closer to underserved communities.
Participants at the hub are gaining practical skills that can support self-employment and enable them to provide digital services to other businesses and individuals.
The approach is particularly relevant to informal settlements, where young people often face limited access to formal employment and training opportunities.
The World Bank says Kenya’s youth employment challenge is compounded by skills mismatches, with many young people lacking the technical, business and work-related skills required by employers.
Its youth employment programmes have shown that skills training combined with entrepreneurship support can improve employment and earnings.
Beyond digital skills, the UK-Kenya discussions in Nakuru covered agriculture, education, innovation and energy, pointing to opportunities for cooperation across sectors that directly affect economic development.
The county said such partnerships would support its efforts to expand opportunities for young people and strengthen local economic participation.
The visit brought together County Commissioner Dr Loyford Kibaara, Chief of Staff Dr Peter Ketyenya, CECMs Zipporah Wambui for Education and Elga Riaga for Youth, Sports, Gender and Social Services.
Chief Officer for Youth, Sports and Talent Development Francis Njogu, Director of the Efficiency, Monitoring and Delivery Unit Patrick Kigunda, Director of Trade John Macharia and Elizabeth Gichuki from the Office of the Governor’s Resource Mobilization and Partnership Office also attended.
The engagement underscores the growing role of county-level partnerships in translating national and international development priorities into practical opportunities for communities.
For Nakuru, expanding digital skills through community hubs could help more young people move from digital consumption to productive participation in the economy.
By Jefther Simeon Afuyo and Esther Mwangi
Reporting originally appeared via Kenya News Agency. Read the full source for additional context.