Telecoms & IT

The telecommunications sector in Kenya is one of the more dynamic in Africa, having garnered recognition in particular for its success in rolling out mobile money platforms and value-added services, and benefitting in a broader sense from the government’s effort to increase the role of telecoms and ICT in the country’s overall development. Wireless connectivity has acted as a leapfrog technology, enabling Kenyans to skip fixed-line connections and transition directly to mobile phones. An aggressive approach to building infrastructure has yielded significant benefits for Kenya, bolstered by growth in mobile money platforms, which has helped encourage start-ups and expand digital value-added services. The country’s Connected Kenya 2017 master plan for ICT and broadband development clarifies its step-by-step vision for growth and its needs for foreign investment along the way. The government’s determination to extend broadband access to all Kenyans is likely to reinforce the burgeoning innovation culture that has taken root and provides for a promising medium-term outlook.

This chapter contains interviews with Fred Matiang’i, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology; and Bob Collymore, CEO, Safaricom.