The Kenyan government plans to place digital technology at the core of the country's socioeconomic development. To realize this ambition, investments in infrastructure, among other areas, will be essential.
Kenya’s ICT Authority (ICTA) has outlined a need for 304.37 billion Kenyan shillings ($2.35 billion) to implement its 2024-2027 strategic plan. Officially launched on Friday, September 13, the roadmap includes programs and initiatives aimed at advancing the country's digital transformation.
The plan calls for 235 billion shillings over five years to ensure universal, secure, and reliable internet access. Another 9.5 billion will be allocated to expanding access to digital products, while 32.5 billion will be invested in fostering sustainable digital culture. Additionally, 23.8 billion shillings are earmarked for creating an optimized and unified digital environment, and 3.7 billion will go toward strengthening organizational capacity and improving operational efficiency.
“This plan 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,” said Margaret Ndung'u, Kenya’s Minister of Information, Communication, and Digital Economy.
These initiatives align with the broader Kenya Digital Master Plan, which envisions investments totaling 484.241 billion shillings from 2022 to 2032 to support the government's ambition of leveraging digital technology for socioeconomic development.
Kenya’s digital push has gained momentum with international partnerships. The country recently joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and secured $238 million from Korea Eximbank to invest in the smart city project, Konza Technopolis. In April 2023, the World Bank provided $390 million to accelerate Kenya's digital economy, and the country is seeking further support from nations like China, Indonesia, India, and Malaysia.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
The remarkable progress in artificial intelligence (AI) is both exciting and concerning. It's essential to keep a close eye on this issue.
The Kenyan government is taking steps to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) amid growing concerns about disinformation.
During the launch of the Fifth National Action Plan on Open Government Partnership, President William Ruto announced the upcoming introduction of a regulatory framework. "We are implementing a regulatory regime to forestall the abuse of new technologies, including AI, which leads to disinformation that threatens our democracy," he stated.
This initiative comes as disinformation becomes a global concern. A January report by the World Economic Forum identified disinformation as the greatest risk to the global economy over the next two years, surpassing threats like armed conflict, climate crises, and inflation. A 2019 study estimated that combating disinformation could cost more than $78 billion.
Kenya's regulatory framework represents a significant step in promoting the responsible use of AI. Additionally, the government is collaborating with German partners to develop a national AI strategy. These initiatives aim to regulate emerging technologies ethically and responsibly, ensuring Kenya adheres to global standards in digital governance.
Samira Njoya
To advance the digitization of its public services, the Congolese government has partnered with the World Bank and a specialized consulting firm.
A working meeting was held on Friday, September 13, to outline a roadmap for digitizing Congolese public services. The gathering brought together stakeholders from government ministries, supervisory administrations, and the consulting firm developing the digital platform, ADDINN.
According to Francis Seck Mangouani, national coordinator of the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (PATN), the beta version of the portal interface is expected to be ready within four months. "This workshop focused on implementing the government's public services portal. We discussed how to prioritize certain services and reviewed the six priority sectors outlined in the 2022-2026 National Development Plan," said Guy Parfait Sosthène Itoumou, head of research and planning at the Agency for Digital Economy Development.
This initiative follows the World Bank's recent mission supporting the implementation of the PATN. The institution is financing the project with $100 million as part of the "Congo Digital 2025" strategy. One of its main objectives is to modernize the practices and services of public administration, with e-government and e-citizen initiatives emerging as key pillars of this strategic vision.
The creation of a national public services portal will facilitate access to administrative procedures, particularly for people in remote areas, allowing for real-time tracking of processes, which will improve transparency and trust in public services. For the administration, it will help reduce costs related to document management and in-person interactions with the public.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Congo is digitizing government administration. Authorities have confirmed a project to digitize documents from two ministries and their affiliated agencies.
Séraphin Ondélé, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Interior, Decentralization, and Local Development, met with Jean Luc Magré, Africa Manager for FamilySearch, on September 11. The meeting focused on advancing the civil status archives digitization project.
The initiative aims to digitize civil status documents generated by town halls and other decentralized administrations, as well as culturally significant archives, involving both the Ministries of Interior and Culture.
“The project emphasizes the digitization of civil status archives in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior. These documents will assist researchers in their studies and help families trace their ancestry and understand their cultural heritage. Today's meeting provided clarity on the project's parameters and helped establish a collaborative framework for moving forward,” Magré stated.
This project is part of the National Digital Economy Development Strategy, dubbed “Congo Digital 2025.” Its objectives include leveraging digital technology to enhance business competitiveness, attract foreign direct investment, and diversify the economy. According to the United Nations E-Government Development Index, the country scored 0.3675 in 2022, ranking 161st out of 193 nations.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The Togolese government is focusing on high-speed internet, e-government services, and data security. To make this happen, it's teaming up with experienced international partners.
On September 4, in Beijing, Togo’s authorities signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese tech giant Huawei. The goal of this partnership is to strengthen the country's digital infrastructure.
This deal was signed during the 9th edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Togo’s leaders met with several Chinese companies to secure strategic contracts, with a focus on advancing their digital transformation.
This move aligns with the "Togo Digital 2025" strategy, launched in June 2022, which is aimed at promoting social inclusion and economic growth through digital advancements. Key initiatives include building a digital innovation ecosystem, providing widespread access to high-speed internet and technology, and digitizing key sectors of the economy.
In addition to Huawei, Togo has partnered with other tech companies, such as French firms Atos and Idemia, to develop a national electronic identification system. Earlier this year, the country also turned to Kazakhstan’s National Information Technologies to support digital projects and improve the digitalization of government services.
Mohamed Achraf Mrabet Simplifies Healthy EatingA computer engineer, he uses his skills to serve the Tunisian population. Committed to the well-being of his fellow citizens, he developed a meal-planning system to promote healthy eating habits.
Mohamed Achraf Mrabet (photo) is a Tunisian computer scientist and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Ukla, a food tech startup established in 2022. Ukla is a meal-planning application that offers a variety of features to help users organize their weekly meals, access nutritional advice, and easily prepare new recipes with detailed, step-by-step instructions. Once meals are planned, the app automatically generates a shopping list of necessary ingredients, simplifying grocery shopping for users.
Ukla’s mission is to make healthy eating both accessible and enjoyable for everyone. "We are passionate about helping people take control of their nutrition to achieve fitness goals and improve overall well-being. With Ukla, you can avoid junk food and eliminate the mental effort of thinking about recipes, portions, and diets," Mrabet writes on his LinkedIn profile.
Mrabet graduated in 2023 with a degree in computer engineering from Tunisia’s École Supérieure Privée d'Ingénierie et de Technologie (ESPRIT). To gain experience, he completed an internship in 2021 at TSF Innovations, a software development company, where he worked as a web developer. Between 2021 and 2022, he also served as project manager for Engineers Spack Esprit, a student club that promotes innovation and creativity among students.
Melchior Koba
With a marketing degree, he gained experience working for several telecommunications companies. As an entrepreneur, he has developed technology to help Egyptians realize their dream of owning a home.
Mostafa El-Beltagy, an Egyptian marketing expert and entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of Nawy, a digital real estate startup founded in 2019.
Nawy emerged from the collaboration of El-Beltagy, Abdel-Azim Osman, Aly Rafea, Ahmed Rafea, and Mohamed Abou Ghanima. The company offers a variety of services, including real estate brokerage and financing, allowing families to move into their dream homes immediately with payment plans of up to 10 years.
The company provides a comprehensive platform that simplifies the experience for real estate buyers, sellers, and investors. It positions itself as "a technology-based information and service hub, with multiple branches handling every step of our clients' journey, from finding a home to buying, selling, consulting, or investing in real estate, all on a fully immersive digital platform."
Before founding Nawy, El-Beltagy co-founded Bey2ollak, a multi-platform mobile app that enables users to exchange real-time traffic information.
Mostafa El-Beltagy holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the American University in Cairo. His professional career began in 2008 at Nielsen, an international performance management company, where he worked as a research analyst. In 2009, he joined Vodafone Egypt as head of prepaid services.
He went on to work for several other telecom operators. In 2013, he became the general manager of prepaid business at Vodacom. In 2014, El-Beltagy returned to Vodafone, where he oversaw customer value management, pricing, and commercial strategy for both consumer and business segments. From 2017 to 2021, he held roles as head of marketing and chief commercial officer.
Melchior Koba
The global security robot market is rapidly expanding, fueled by the growing popularity of these intelligent machines. While Africa is slightly behind in adopting this technology, the continent still offers substantial opportunities for the deployment of security robots.
U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia Joey Hood announced that the United States plans to import at least 50 robots fully designed in Tunisia by 2025.
Hood announced this at the 10th-anniversary celebration of Enova Robotics, a Tunisian company specializing in robot manufacturing. The initiative stems from a partnership between Enova Robotics and its American partner, Unartificial Labs.
"This partnership highlights the quality and competitiveness of Tunisian engineering in the U.S. market and underscores the potential for new collaborations and knowledge exchange between our two countries," Hood said.
The robots exported to the U.S. will be used to secure critical infrastructure such as airports, ports, factories, and for border surveillance. Equipped with 360-degree sensors, these autonomous robots ensure optimal protection of large sites. Since the creation of the first model in 2015, these robots have evolved and have already been exported to France and several major international companies, including the European aerospace manufacturer Airbus.
For Enova Robotics, this export marks a crucial milestone after ten years in business, showcasing Tunisia's technological excellence and expertise on the global stage. By collaborating with the U.S. and entering strategic markets like Latin America, Enova Robotics is strengthening its position as a pioneer in robotic innovation.
This success comes at a time when the global security robot market is rapidly expanding. According to data analytics platform Mordor Intelligence, this market, valued at $15.70 billion in 2024, is expected to nearly double to $29.65 billion by 2029, with an average annual growth rate of 13.57%.
Samira Njoya
International calling app Talk360 has secured $1.4 million (R25 million) in a Pre-Series A round, led by Havaic. The funds will help the company expand its user base to seven million by 2025 and enhance profitability.
Talk360, which connects African migrant communities with their families, aims to strengthen local partnerships, introduce more African languages, and expand its payment platform to external companies across Africa by late 2024.
To support digital transformation, the authorities have launched the "Congo Digital 2025" strategy. This plan includes various programs and projects backed by multiple technical and financial partners.
Congo’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Léon Juste Ibombo, on Wednesday, unveiled several initiatives during a ceremony where computer equipment was donated to Marien Ngouabi University.
“A few months ago, we initiated the connectivity of the two major universities in our country, Marien Ngouabi University and Denis Sassou Nguesso University. The work is currently underway, and completion is expected by the end of this year,” Ibombo stated.
In addition to the university connectivity project, he highlighted the training of 1,200 young people in digital skills, funded by a $1 million World Bank grant, and the installation of high-speed free Wi-Fi on the Marien Ngouabi University campus.
These initiatives are part of the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (PATN), aligned with the national "Congo Digital 2025" strategy. Supported by $100 million from the World Bank, the project aims to provide high-speed internet access to public administrations, universities, secondary schools, and rural areas.
Improving connectivity for academic institutions will help modernize the country’s infrastructure, facilitate access to online services and e-learning, and enhance young people’s digital skills, ultimately strengthening Congo’s competitiveness in the ICT sector.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
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The government is stepping up efforts to accelerate digital transformation across all sectors of the country. These initiatives are receiving substantial support from the United Nations, further strengthening the implementation of strategic projects.
The Malawian Parliament introduced a new digital system, the e-Chamber, on Thursday. Designed to revolutionize internal operations, the system aims to increase efficiency and transparency through digitized parliamentary processes.
A training session was held on September 11 to prepare members of parliament for the transition to the new technological environment. The institution stated, "The complete system will be fully operational for the next parliamentary session. This training underscores our commitment to embracing digital tools and improving procedural efficiency to better serve the Malawian people."
The e-Chamber system offers advanced features, including audio management, electronic document handling, and electronic voting. Each parliamentarian will receive a tablet equipped with a new audio system, facilitating access to necessary documents and official tasks.
This initiative is part of a broader digital transformation undertaken in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It follows the introduction of the e-Court platform in April, aimed at improving access to justice for marginalized communities.
The adoption of the paperless multimedia system within Parliament will enhance operational efficiency by centralizing the management of speeches, votes, simultaneous interpretation, and member registration. With this move, Malawi joins other African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Angola, which have already implemented similar systems.
Samira Njoya
An entrepreneur and business leader, he runs several companies. His most recent venture is a digital startup that promotes the consumption of local meals in South Africa.
Talifhani Banks (photo) is a trained statistician and South African entrepreneur. He founded Spaza Eats, a startup launched in 2020 that specializes in delivery services. The company offers a platform for delivering food, groceries, and local products, with a unique focus on traditional South African meals and the digitization of informal markets, thereby promoting financial inclusion and access to banking services. The platform emphasizes local suppliers and traditional cuisine.
In addition to Spaza Eats, Talifhani Banks is the CEO of AnalyticsX, a tech company that provides a full suite of services, including software development, data engineering, data science, Internet of Things (IoT), system testing, and systems analysis. With operations in South Africa, Botswana, and Dubai, AnalyticsX delivers innovative solutions to help businesses thrive in an increasingly digital environment. The company is also a tech investor, supporting promising startups by providing the necessary funding and resources for growth and success.
Talifhani Banks graduated from the University of Pretoria, where he studied statistics and econometrics from 2009 to 2012. He began his professional career in 2013 at Daymon, a business services and consulting firm, working as a private label analyst. In 2015, he joined Pick n Pay, a retail startup, as a pricing and promotions analyst. By 2017, he was a business analyst at AutoZone South Africa, an automotive company.
In 2022, Talifhani Banks was recognized for his achievements, receiving several awards, including South Africa's Entrepreneur of the Year and Tech CEO of the Year. He also won the BRICS International Award of the Year.
Melchior Koba
The lack of timely agricultural information has long impacted farmers' productivity and income. To address this issue, she developed an information system based on artificial intelligence.
Cassandra Mtine (photo) is a Zambian entrepreneur, co-founder, and CEO of AgriPredict. Founded in 2016, this agri-tech startup helps small-scale farmers access on-demand agricultural information.
Based in Lusaka, Zambia, AgriPredict uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide farmers with weather data such as rainfall forecasts, temperature trends, and humidity levels. Accessible via USSD and a mobile app, this information helps farmers better plan their activities.
“Our AI-based weather app is more than just a tool; it's a bridge between cutting-edge technology and traditional farming practices. We believe that by putting this power into the hands of farmers, we're contributing to a more food-secure future,” said Cassandra Mtine in August 2024.
AgriPredict also offers an early warning system that alerts users to potential threats like severe weather, diseases, or pest infestations. Additionally, the startup has developed an online marketplace that facilitates the buying and selling of products, connecting farmers with buyers, sellers, and agricultural traders.
Cassandra Mtine graduated from the University of Arizona in the United States, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental economics and natural resources in 2004, followed by a master’s degree in public policy and administration in 2007. She began her professional career in 2008 at the Critical Path Institute, a nonprofit focused on drug development, where she served as an associate project manager.
From 2012 to 2017, she was CEO of Shopzed Investments, an online grocery delivery service. In 2013, she also worked as a consultant for the Centre for Environment Justice, an organization advocating for the fundamental right to a healthy environment and access to accurate environmental information.
Melchior Koba
The Kenyan government is seeking international partners to bolster its digital transformation efforts. In June, a partnership with Malaysia was established towards this goal.
Kenya and Belgium are exploring potential collaborations in the digital sector. Margaret Ndung’u (photo, right), Kenya’s Minister of Information, Communications, and Digital Economy, met with Peter Maddens (photo, left), Belgium’s ambassador to Kenya, on Wednesday to discuss potential areas of partnership.
While specific details were not disclosed, the ministry indicated that the talks covered last-mile connectivity and other digital initiatives. The discussions come as Kenya actively seeks international support for its digital transformation.
In June, Kenya engaged in talks with Malaysia on cybersecurity and semiconductor production. In January, the Indian government approved a memorandum of understanding with Kenya focusing on the digital space.
International collaboration is expected to play a crucial role in advancing Kenya’s digital economy acceleration program. Since taking office, President William Ruto has made clear his ambition to leverage digital technology for socio-economic development by 2027. His plans include significant investments in infrastructure, such as deploying 100,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable, setting up 25,000 Wi-Fi access points, and digitizing 5,000 administrative services.
Isaac K. Kassouwi