On 22^nd May 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 final validation workshop on The National Policy on Business Process Outsourcing. The workshop brought together key representatives from government, the private sector, and the Civil society to review the National Policy on Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) with an aim of positioning Kenya as a leading global outsourcing destination while leveraging its strengths in skilled labor, technological advancements, and strategic geographic location.

The National Policy on Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) aims to capitalize on the high global demand for outsourcing services while addressing the challenge of high youth unemployment facing the country. This policy focuses on five major pillars, namely: human capital, digital infrastructure, data and information management, enabling business environment, marketing, and labour market performance. The process for formulation of this policy has so far involved various stakeholders, both at the national and county levels, including the public sector, private sector, industry, Non-governmental Organizations, civil society, development partners, social partners, and youth groups.

While reiterating why this policy is important for the country,  Dr. Wanjiru Kariuki, Secretary, Skills Development, State Department for Labour and Skills Development, spoke about the several advantages Kenya has over other countries and how we can leverage this while benchmarking on leading markets like India and the Philippines, “By harnessing the potential of the BPO industry, Kenya can unlock new employment avenues for the Youth, Accelerate Economic development and firmly position itself as a competitive global outsourcing hub”,

KEPSA, through the Ajira digital program, is an active player in the BPO ecosystem. The program enables young women and men in Kenya to access digital and digitally-enabled work opportunities in the BPO ecosystem. KEPSA ICT Sector Board Vice Chair Mr. Brian Omwenga spoke about the critical role the private sector plays in the policy formulation process, “Through the KEPSA ICT sector board, we actively lobby for favorable policies and legislation that will enable the BPO sector to grow. This includes through Ministerial Stakeholders Forums like the one we had in December, and roundtables with relevant government bodies.”

One of the key issues raised during the workshop was the need for decent work standards. Ellam Brian, the Secretary General, Kenya Union of Gig Workers, lauded the policy as a step forward but said much needs to be done to improve the state of digital workers in the country. “This policy must do more than attract investment and promote competitiveness. It must deliver justice, equity, and protection for the very workers powering Kenya’s digital transformation. We urge the government to position Kenya as a responsible digital labour destination where decent work is not an afterthought, but a promise.”

Some of the issues raised during the plenary section include, but are not limited to;

• Lessons from other leading BPO jurisdictions in line with skilling
• Taxation framework around the digital work ecosystem, including a social protection fund
• Mechanisms for establishing the BPO council
• Incentives to enhance the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices
• Prioritizing local outsourcing on public procurement services
• Policy review every time there is a need, and not every five years
• Monitoring and Evaluation to include labor/workers outcomes

The initial validation focused on prioritizing skills development, while the subsequent one addressed the necessity of decent work standards and formalization of processes within the BPO sector. To access a draft of the National Policy on Business Process Outsourcing, click here