Kenya is committed to expanding its broadband infrastructure by investing in submarine and terrestrial fiber optic cables as well as mid-range and last-mile connectivity to achieve its digitalization agenda.
Cabinet Secretary for ICT Eliud Owalo said Kenya relies on the ICT industry to improve digital skills through online working and connect the masses through public Wi-Fi.
Owalo (Cabinet Secretary for Information and Communications Technology) said:
"The Kenyan government is looking to ICT to address various challenges such as unemployment, poverty and public service constraints. The digital transformation agenda will help create an enabling legal and policy environment for entrepreneurship to promote innovation and security in cyberspace."
At the second preparatory meeting of the International Telecommunication Union’s World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly 2024 (WTSA-24) in Nairobi, Owalo confirmed that in the past year, the Kenyan government has deployed 8,419 kilometers of fiber optic networks, and over the next five years The target is 100,000 kilometers. "The government has begun laying 1,000 kilometers of fiber optic networks and 25,000 wifi hotspots across the country, and establishing 1,450 digital centers in villages," he said. Owalo added that the government is currently implementing large-scale digital skills and digital employment programs to promote skills and competency enhancement.
The Kenyan government expects that as the private sector continues to invest and the ICT industry continues to achieve positive growth, digital hubs will become innovation centers for cultivating digital talents in all regions of the country. "To sustain the growth of the ICT industry and provide employment and wealth creation opportunities for young people, the government has embarked on the digitization of services and the construction of fiber optic networks," Owalo said.
The Kenyan government also praised the African Telecommunications Union (ATU). ATU is preparing to participate in WTSA24, scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India in October. John Omo, Secretary-General of the African Telecommunications Union, said that the World Telecommunication Standardization Conference, held every four years, brings different countries together to agree on various standards to promote the development of communications. ATU cooperates with the African ICT industry to develop ICT infrastructure in the African region.
During WTSA24, the African Telecommunications Union is expected to present relevant recommendations, including a universal emergency telecommunications number for Africa. John Omo pointed out that the main challenge affecting most African countries is the import of equipment products that do not meet the required standards and communication needs.
David Mugonyi, director-general of the Communications Authority of Kenya, added that global standards could speed up or slow down progress. Mugonyi said: “Standards are at the core of our communications. These preparatory meetings form the basis of our position and participation in global ICT policy discussions and influence the outcomes of WTSA-24 and WTDC-25 for Africa. We know what we need, Learn about our priorities, including cross-border interactions and device interoperability.”