NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has set an ambitious target to connect three million young Kenyans to digital and digitally enabled jobs as it scales up skills development under the UK-backed Digital Access Programme (DAP).
The commitment was outlined on Thursday by ICT and the Digital Economy Principal Secretary John Tanui during the Global UK Digital Access Programme Cross-Country Peer Learning Event — Beneficiaries Connect Forum held in Nairobi.
Tanui said the programme is central to Kenya’s broader digital economy strategy, which seeks to tackle youth unemployment by aligning skills training with labour market demand.
“The government aims to enable three million young people to access digital or digitally enabled jobs through employability skills,” Tanui said, adding that significant public investment has already been made to build the foundations of a digital economy.
He highlighted the launch of Kenya’s first National Digital Skills Curriculum at the Connected Africa Summit 2025 as a major milestone.
The curriculum was developed following an International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-led study assessing digital skills supply and demand across key economic sectors.
According to the PS, the curriculum provides a structured framework for the delivery of sustainable, scalable digital skills, ensuring that training aligns with industry needs rather than with theoretical certification.
Under the UK Digital Access Programme, about 6,000 young people are currently receiving digital employability training, with a strong focus on historically marginalised regions.
The programme targets arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) counties such as Mandera, Samburu and Elgeyo-Marakwet, alongside non-ASAL counties including Busia and Mombasa.
The initiative tests innovative digital inclusion models that combine technical skills, employability training, and community-based delivery approaches.
The goal is to close the digital divide while expanding access to remote and technology-enabled work opportunities.
The forum brought together beneficiaries, policymakers and development partners to share experiences and lessons across participating countries.
Alessandra Lustrati, Head of Digital Development at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), reaffirmed the UK government’s commitment to supporting inclusive digital growth in partner countries.
Kenya’s ICT Authority Board Chairperson Lily Ng’ok said the programme aligns with ongoing efforts to institutionalise digital skilling within public policy frameworks.
Also present were KICTANet Board Chair Ali Hussein, ICT Authority Deputy Director Lynette Ringeera and Dr. Nora Ndege, a researcher with Newest Model, Kilimo Hakika.
The government’s push for large-scale digital skilling comes amid growing pressure to create jobs for a rapidly expanding youth population, even as traditional employment sectors struggle to absorb new entrants.
According to official data, digital platforms, remote work, and technology-enabled services are increasingly seen as viable alternatives to conventional wage employment, particularly for youth in rural and underserved regions.
Kenya has positioned itself as a regional technology hub, but experts have warned that skills mismatches and unequal access to training risk excluding vulnerable populations from digital growth.
By anchoring training in a national curriculum and partnering with international development agencies, the government hopes to improve coordination, quality, and long-term impact.
Tanui said collaboration between government, industry, and development partners would be critical to translating digital skills into actual jobs.
“Our focus is not just training, but ensuring young people can earn livelihoods from these skills,” he said.
