Kenya is advancing its digital transformation agenda through deeper continental collaboration, following a high-level bilateral meeting between ICT Cabinet Secretary Hon. William Kabogo Gitau and AfriLabs Executive Director Anna Ekeledo. The engagement took place on the sidelines of the Digital Cooperation Organization DCO Annual General Assembly in Kuwait, where both leaders explored strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening Africa's innovation ecosystem and expanding cross-border digital opportunities.
Discussions centered on linking Kenyan innovation hubs to AfriLabs' pan-African programmes, broadening AfriLabs' presence in Kenya and Eastern Africa, and ensuring more balanced distribution of innovation projects across the continent to promote inclusive growth. AfriLabs' planned participation in Kenya's upcoming Connected Africa Summit also featured prominently, reflecting a shared commitment to stronger intra-African cooperation in building digital capacity and knowledge exchange.
A key outcome focus of the talks was inclusive innovation, particularly expanding opportunities for youth, women, and persons with disabilities, including those in small media enterprises. Kenya's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the draft Startup Laws Act were highlighted as important policy frameworks that could benefit from collaboration, positioning the country to maintain leadership in Africa's and the global digital economy while fostering a connected ecosystem designed to leave no one behind.
