Kenya has set its sights on becoming Africa’s leading hub
for software and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation.
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.
Mudavadi said the summit marked a historic moment in Kenya’s digital journey.
He conveyed President William Ruto’s message of support,
describing the event as a milestone toward positioning Kenya as Africa’s
digital powerhouse.
“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.”
Citing that 60 per cent of Africa’s population is under 25,
Mudavadi challenged Kenyan youth to seize the opportunity as the government
prioritizes skills development, industry–academia collaboration, citizen
participation, and policy innovation.
“You can talk about determination and resilience, but without discipline and integrity, all your efforts get lost,” he said.
“To be
world-class innovators, you must work on discipline and competence to see
results at the end of the day.”
He noted that the summit came at a pivotal time when
software and AI are reshaping the global economy.
The global software market is now worth more than US$700 billion( Sh90 billion),
while AI is expected to generate more than US$1.7 trillion( Sh219 trillion) in value in the
coming year.
“These are not abstract statistics,” he said.
“They represent opportunities that Kenya and Africa must
seize. In this new economy, software is power, AI is advantage, and talent is
currency toward solving real-world problems.”
Mudavadi said Kenya’s story has been one of bold innovation, from M-Pesa’s global fintech revolution to the government’s eCitizen
platform, which now offers more than 22,000 services.
He also cited progress in digital health and e-procurement
as examples of the nation’s technological transformation.
He said the summit aligns with the African Union Digital
Transformation Strategy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and global AI
governance frameworks.
Kenya’s focus, he added, is to empower youth and drive
inclusive growth through technology.
The government, Mudavadi said, has expanded national fibre coverage by more than 37,000 kilometres in three years and rolled out public Wi-Fi serving about two million monthly users.
Fixed broadband adoption has
more than doubled.
“At Konza Technopolis, in partnership with the Open
University of Kenya, we are nurturing the next generation of digital
innovators, engineers, and researchers,” he said.
He highlighted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy
2025–2030, which positions AI as a national superpower and emphasizes skills
development, research, and responsible governance.
Mudavadi also cited initiatives such as Ajira, Jitume, and
the Digital Hubs Programme, which have trained more than 600,000 young people in
coding, data science, and digital entrepreneurship.
The government plans to establish 1,450 innovation hubs, one in every ward, to ensure equitable access to opportunity.
He announced that Moi University will host a new Centre for
Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) to promote applied
research and innovation in collaboration with Konza Technopolis and the ICT
Authority.
“The success of this summit will not be measured by
speeches, but by the partnerships formed and investments mobilised,” Mudavadi
said.
Declaring the summit open, he concluded, “Our message to the
world is simple — Kenya is ready to build, ready to innovate, and ready to lead
Africa’s digital transformation.”
