On 14th March 2025, KEPSA through the Ajira Digital Program In partnership with the State Department for Labour and Skills Development, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, convened the 2nd Stakeholders Engagement Meeting on The National Policy on Business Process Outsourcing. The meeting brought together key industry stakeholders, policymakers, and experts to discuss and shape the regulatory and legal landscape of BPO in Kenya. This is with an aim of enhancing Kenya’s position as a competitive outsourcing destination for economic growth and socio-economic transformation.

KEPSA has been at the forefront of preparing digitally skilled workforce that will offer services through the BPOs. Currently, the Ajira Digital program, focuses on market-led skilling of young people for digital jobs. The Program has continued to supply highly skilled talent to match the market demands as well as drawing insights from the global digital technology transformation and trends. All these efforts combined has facilitated quality talent pool to meet the demand for global market outsourcing while also profiling the country as a favourable destination for BPO companies

While officially opening the meeting Dr. Wanjiru Kariuki, Secretary Skills Development, State Department for Labour and Skills Development highlighted on the importance of the policy in promoting Kenya as a global leader in the BPO industry. ‘With global sourcing demand at unprecedented levels, Kenya is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the opportunity. The country benefits from a favourable time zone, a highly educated and English-speaking workforce, and rapidly advancing digital infrastructure, making it an attractive destination for outsourcing investments. She said. Also speaking was Sven De Cauter, Vice Chair BPO Association of Kenya, spoke on Kenya’s qualified talent pool that can compete globally while also emphasizing how the policies will elevate the labour market and drive workforce growth.

On the importance of Kenya’s BPO industry and the role of policy in driving its growth, Ben Roberts, KEPSA Chair ICT Sector Board, spoke on the different roles that KEPSA plays in policy implementation to ensure a conducive and thriving business environment. He advocated for a collaborative approach in policy execution, suggesting that responsibilities should be clearly shared between the government and private sector for effective policy implementation.

Some of the key points highlighted by him include; Kenya as a robust ICT hub with a strong digital infrastructure and a highly skilled, English-speaking workforce, with the need to expand language training in French, German, and Chinese to unlock new BPO opportunities. Additionally, ongoing investments in digital infrastructure must ensure uninterrupted services, while a recent tax shift—doubling the burden—calls for review to avoid discouraging ICT investment. Active economic diplomacy is needed to reassure international partners about Kenya’s data protection standards, and improved global marketing is essential to counter negative perceptions. He finally eemphasized on importance of digital literacy to boost workforce competitiveness, and on how the government can be a key BPO Client.

During the policy review, stakeholders highlighted that while the 18 proposed policies are extensive, there is a need to develop effective strategies for marketing the Kenyan BPO sector globally. They emphasized the need to improve working conditions and pay for gig workers, recognizing prior learning, and ensuring that the private sector is actively involved in both policy formulation and implementation. Additionally, the review stressed the importance of establishing decent work standards and formalization processes, along with tailoring curricula to meet the dynamic needs of each demand area in the industry. Finally, there was a request from the National Treasury representative to Private sector (led by KEPSA) to establish and list appropriate incentives for private sector in line with boosting the BPO Industry.

The forum hosted several key government and industry leaders including representatives from the BPO Association of Kenya, State Department for Labour and Skills Development, the State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, and the State Department for Industry, Private Sector representatives, businesses among others.

To access a draft of the National Policy on Business Process Outsourcing, click here.