ELDORET, Kenya — Kenya has announced an ambitious plan to position itself as Africa’s leading centre for software and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, signalling a major leap in the nation’s digital transformation agenda.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi made the declaration during the inaugural Software and Artificial Intelligence Summit at Moi University’s Annex Campus in Eldoret on November 10, 2025.
Delivering President William Ruto’s message of support, Mudavadi described the summit as a historic milestone in Kenya’s digital journey, saying it marked the start of a new era in technological leadership across the continent.
“Eldoret, with its legacy of excellence, resilience, and unyielding spirit, is the perfect birthplace for this summit,” Mudavadi said. “Just as our champions shatter records on the track, we are here to position Kenya as Africa’s coding champion.”
He noted that the summit came at a pivotal moment when software and AI are reshaping the global economy — a sector now valued at over US$700 billion (Sh90 billion), with AI projected to generate US$1.7 trillion (Sh219 trillion) in value in the coming year.
“These are not abstract statistics,” Mudavadi said. “They represent opportunities that Kenya and Africa must seize. In this new economy, software is power, AI is an advantage, and talent is currency toward solving real-world problems.”
Citing Kenya’s legacy of innovation — from M-Pesa’s global fintech revolution to the eCitizen platform offering over 22,000 services — Mudavadi said the government is determined to build on its digital success story.
He outlined recent strides, including expanding national fibre coverage by 37,000 kilometres in three years, rolling out public Wi-Fi serving two million monthly users, and more than doubling fixed broadband adoption.
He further announced that Moi University will host a new Centre for Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) in collaboration with Konza Technopolis and the ICT Authority, to promote applied research and innovation.
The Prime CS highlighted the government’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2030, which seeks to position AI as a national “superpower” while emphasizing skills development, research, and ethical governance.
He also referenced initiatives such as Ajira, Jitume, and the Digital Hubs Programme, which have already trained more than 600,000 young people in coding, data science, and digital entrepreneurship.
Plans are underway to establish 1,450 innovation hubs, one in every ward, to ensure equitable access to digital opportunities.
“You can talk about determination and resilience, but without discipline and integrity, all your efforts get lost,” Mudavadi cautioned. “To be world-class innovators, you must work on discipline and competence to see results.”
The summit, he said, aligns with the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and global AI governance frameworks, underlining Kenya’s commitment to inclusive, responsible, and sustainable technological growth.
Declaring the summit open, Mudavadi concluded:
“Our message to the world is simple — Kenya is ready to build, ready to innovate, and ready to lead Africa’s digital transformation.”
