(Ecofin Agency) - William Ruto, who came to power in September 2022, is multiplying initiatives to accelerate the digital transformation initiated by his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta. To achieve its objectives, the new government is counting on the support of financial partners.

The Kenyan government seeks the World Bank’s support to finance its digital superhighway project, which will require about $600 million in investment. The support was the theme of a meeting organized on Monday 6 March by Eliud Owalo, Minister of ICT and Digital Economy, with a delegation from the Bretton Woods institution led by Isabel Neto, Head of Digital Development Practice for Eastern and Southern Africa.

The project includes the deployment of more than 100,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable across Kenya and the creation of 25,000 public Wi-Fi access points and digital villages and studios in each of the country's 1,450 districts. It also provides for the digitization of  5,000 government services by mid-2023.

This initiative is part of the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Program (KDEAP). When he came to power in September 2022, William Ruto stated his ambition to put digital technology at the service of Kenya's socio-economic development. To this end, he planned various investments with the aim of making the country a digital transformation reference in Africa by 2027.

The digital superhighway project will ensure that the entire Kenyan population has access not only to telecom and broadband Internet services but also to digital platforms. This should accelerate the digital transformation of the economy and reduce unemployment. The initiative is expected to create 1.5 to 2 million jobs, according to the government.

Isaac K. Kassouwi