(Nairobi) – Kenya’s ICT Ministry has outlined its successes in the last financial year and laid out plans for further digital transformation.
The Principal Secretary (PS) for ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, shared the Ministry’s achievements and upcoming projects during the National Treasury’s Public Sector Hearings for the 2025/26 to 2027/28 Medium-Term Budget held in Nairobi.
In the previous fiscal year, the government completed the construction of the Konza National Data Centre, a critical infrastructure for data storage and digital innovation. Eng. Tanui also revealed that 7,066 public institutions, including hospitals, were provided with internet connectivity, while 1,491 public Wi-Fi hotspots were installed nationwide.
The Ministry has significantly expanded the country’s digital infrastructure by laying 13,129 kilometers of fiber optic network. These efforts have supported the onboarding of 17,668 government services onto the E-Citizen platform, improving access to public services.
As part of human capacity development, the Ministry recruited and trained 1,200 ICT interns through the Presidential Digital Talent Program (PDTP), preparing them for roles in the digital economy.
In the Broadcasting and Telecommunication subsector, several initiatives have been accomplished. Key publications, including the Kenya Yearbook, Agenda Kenya, and the Cabinet Series, were produced, printed, and distributed. Public sector advertisements were standardized and disseminated through the weekly MyGov publication.
Further efforts included establishing two additional Studio Mashinani facilities to create youth employment, increasing national television coverage from 86% to 98%, and training 2,385 media practitioners in cinematic arts at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC). Additionally, 27,552 journalists and media professionals have been accredited.
Looking ahead, Eng. Tanui highlighted the government’s priorities for the next fiscal year. These include onboarding an additional 13,800 government services onto the E-Citizen platform, providing internet connectivity to 44,575 public institutions, and extending the fiber optic backbone by 38,871 kilometers.
In the Broadcasting and Telecommunication sector, the government plans to operationalize the National Communications Center (NCC), train 3,000 media practitioners, and establish four more Studio Mashinani hubs in Kisii, Eldoret, Kakamega, and Garissa counties. Solar power installations at 42 Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) stations are also planned.
Eng. Tanui urged the public to embrace emerging technologies like artificial intelligence to boost economic competitiveness. He emphasized exploring alternative funding sources for projects and strengthening communication around government initiatives.
The PS noted that the ICT sector plays a vital role in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and called for sustained investment in digital infrastructure to support a resilient economy.
Key ICT Achievements and Upcoming Plans
| Area | Achievements (2023/24) | Future Plans (2025/26) |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Infrastructure | 13,129 km of fiber laid; 7,066 institutions connected to the internet | 38,871 km of fiber to be laid; 44,575 institutions connected |
| Public Wi-Fi | 1,491 hotspots installed | Expansion plans unspecified |
| E-Citizen Platform | 17,668 services onboarded | Additional 13,800 services to be onboarded |
| Human Resource Development | 1,200 ICT interns trained | 3,000 media practitioners to be trained |
| Broadcasting Initiatives | 2 Studio Mashinani facilities established; TV coverage increased to 98% | 4 new Studio Mashinani hubs; solar at 42 KBC stations |
| Media Accreditation | 27,552 media practitioners accredited | 27,000 more to be accredited, with 9,800 undergoing training |