from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Bureau
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – KENYA forecasts its partnership with Google for digital transformation to add more than US$4.2 billion to the economy of the East African country.
Margaret Ndung’u, the Cabinet Secretary: Ministry of Information Communications and Digital Economy, has given the projections during a meeting with officials from Google, led by Matt Brittin, President: Google Africa and Middle East.
She commended among other initiatives, Google’s commitment to bring coding and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy to primary schools, an initiative announced by President William Ruto in 2023.
The ambitious goal is to train over 7 000 teachers and to reach more than 4 million pupils, equipping them with vital digital skills to thrive in the digital economy.
“Equally important is the digital transformation of government services,” Ndung’u said.
She welcomed that Google provided a $5 million grant to connect 90 government institutions, with implementation overseen by Google consultancies in collaboration with her ministry.
This initiative, including the installation and procurement of equipment for last-mile connectivity to the national fibre optic project, is aimed at benefiting some public hospitals and technical and vocational education and training (TVETs) centres.
“These initiatives will equip our citizens with critical skills needed for the digital economy and foster the growth of AI-driven job opportunities, which have the potential to contribute over $2,4 billion to Kenya’s economy,” Ndung’u said.
She expressed gratitude to Google for its commitment to and partnership in Kenya’s digital transformation, from harnessing digital infrastructure and skills development to advancing AI adoption and supporting local innovations.
“Your efforts have significantly strengthened our digital ecosystem. Together, we are not just building capacity but positioning Kenya as a global leaderin the digital space,” Ndung’u concluded.
– CAJ News