This week the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) together with partners is taking part in the Connected Africa Summit 2024 under the theme, Shaping the Future of a Connected Africa: Unlocking Growth Beyond Connectivity. The Summit which is happening at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi, was officially opened yesterday by H.E. the President, Dr. William Ruto in the company of different ambassadors and ministers, the private sector, global thought leaders, policymakers, and change-makers among others.

The Summit is meant to set the stage for unprecedented growth and prosperity for Africa focusing on issues on connectivity and the digital divide, digital trade for Africa, digital skilling and the future of work, manufacturing, and other sector-specific technologies, emerging technologies, and technological issues such as cybersecurity, innovation and support for start-ups among other areas powered to empower Africa’s digital revolution.

President Ruto explained to the participants how an increase of 10% in broadband connectivity would translate to over one percent growth in GDP, hence the need to harmonize digital policies across the continent to help fast-track Africa’s ambition to position itself as the global trade powerhouse, powered by the African Continental Free Trade Area Framework. Ruto challenged the participants to also consider the young talents stating that they are at the heart of digital transformation driven by their bold creativity and domineering entrepreneurial spirit.

“In light of these advancements, I strongly encourage the younger generation to embrace these technologies and leverage them to enhance access to opportunities and improve livelihoods across the continent. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, in particular, has emerged as a significant game-changer. While it may not directly replace individuals in certain roles, it has the potential to render those lacking the requisite knowledge and expertise obsolete” explained the Prime Minister, Musalia Mudavadi who was among the delegation at the Summit.

Meg Whitman, the Ambassador of the United States to Kenya said that every business is a technology business and hence there is a need to leverage technology to solve local challenges. Meg went ahead to demonstrate how the global crisis has pushed everyone to think about innovation and leverage technology to develop solutions, especially in the supply chain. She then expressed how impressed she is by the innovative solutions that Kenyans are developing to expand economic opportunity through technology.

Additionally, H. E Henriette Geiger, Ambassador, European Union Kenya, was also present and explained how Team Europe is ready to collaborate to help close the digital divide. She explained how they stand ready to support Africa’s transition to a unified digital market through the Global Gateway initiative and are excited to collaborate in this transformative journey both for Africa and the world.

In a session coordinated by one of KEPSA’s ongoing projects, Digital Explorer II Program partners from Lithuania, the GovTech Lab team, it was evident that the private sector has a great role in enhancing government and public sector digitalization. The session themed – Start-ups and Emerging Technologies Solving Public Sector’s Challenges – focused on how technology is revolutionizing public services, making them more innovative, efficient, and responsive through digital tools and new technology from startups and small businesses. A presentation by GovTech showed numerous reasons demand for public-private partnerships in driving the digitalization of the public sector which include the growing expectation of better services by citizens, the availability of more data from the public sector, the growth of more start-ups, as well as the more accessible technologies. There was a call to start-ups and SMEs to rethink traditional approaches and consider innovative solutions for public sector challenges.

“Having partnered with KEPSA to execute the Digital Explorer II Program, a program that sources and makes young talents work ready for the Baltics, European, and Kenyan markets, I have come to learn that Kenya’s digital talents are very competitive in the global space ” said Zilvinas Svedkauskas, Director Osmos, one of the partners of the Digital Explorer II Program. Zilvinas added that it will be then important to see organizations take advantage of these innovative and talented assets to offer solutions to the public sector and the market at large. He added that such forward-thinking partners as KEPSA help push for such transformative changes.

Dr. Ehud Gachugu, Global Director, Youth and Jobs at KEPSA expounded on how KEPSA previously piloted a flagship initiative, the Judiciary digitization pilot program through its ongoing project, Ajira Digital Program. The program was specifically designed to digitize the operations of the Judiciary system in Kenya, transitioning from traditional paper-based systems to an integrated digital platform. The program offered digital services including transcription, data entry, and scanning. In addition to the pilot successfully digitizing 482 courts across the country and leading to enhanced operational efficiency and improved access to justice for all Kenyans, the pilot created employment opportunities for over 3,500 youth in Kenya. This initiative not only provided valuable job opportunities but also emphasized gender inclusivity, with women constituting 59% of the workforce involved. The establishment of the National Transcription Centre stands as a testament to the program's commitment to empowering the youth and promoting gender equality within the digital economy.

The Judiciary Digitization Pilot and the Government of Kenya Outsourcing Blueprint represent critical components of Kenya's digital transformation strategy. These initiatives not only exemplify the government's commitment to leveraging technology and innovative outsourcing models for public sector improvement but also highlight the significant strides made towards creating employment opportunities, enhancing service delivery, and promoting gender equality. As these programs continue to evolve, they will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Kenya's digital economy and its position as a leader in digital innovation and public sector efficiency on the African continent.

“The Judiciary digitization pilot was made possible by the collaboration of different partners including an SME offering Business Process Outsourcing  (BPO) services who customized digitization solutions for the Judiciary and prepared the digital talents for the specific duties. Hence, the digitalization of the public sector and services will be made more possible through the involvement of SMEs and start-ups. SMEs are known to be focused on solving problems and are agile in learning and implementing without being hindered by organizational cultures and structures.” Dr. Gachugu further explained.

He continued to say that traditionally government would offer services to its citizens following a classic life event model such as registering birth, public health services, and revenue collection among others. However, with emerging technologies and digital transformation, there are new challenges and new solutions that need to be unlocked. Yet, the SMEs and start-ups can provide these solutions enabled by technology.

The session also highlighted the challenges in the ecosystem that could act as a barrier to SMEs and start-ups offering these solutions which include lack of finance and resources, or the tedious public procurement processes. Hence, such initiatives as the GovTech Lab promote co-creation between startups and the government. GovTech Lab works with businesses and helps them participate in challenge series to offer solutions and help them look for potential investors, accelerators, and public sector clients. Hence, public sector digitalization calls for a well-thought strategy and impact on the entire ecosystem to ensure the sustainability of innovations and solutions.

On the lineup for the Summit are other great topics of discussion including one happening today on the Future of Work where Dr. Gachugu will be shedding more light on the digital landscape in Kenya and Africa and how different stakeholders can embrace the opportunities presented by remote work and digital nomadism. Businesses can take advantage of these discussions to help establish certain leverages for them in the continent and globe as well as showcase their innovation and work to potential markets and partners in the region and beyond.