Kenya
This profile summarises the Key Insights arising from the completion of the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) for Kenya, provides context through the Country Landscape.
Kenya's RAM data and Country Report are publicly available and can be downloaded below.
Key Insights
- Kenya has undertaken a multistakeholder consultation process to develop its first national AI and emerging technology strategy. This approach emphasizes inclusivity and collaboration among various sectors to shape the country’s AI ecosystem.
- Kenya is ranked 6th in Africa according to the 2023 Oxford Insights AI Readiness Index. Similarly, it demonstrates high levels of innovation, ranked 4th in sub-Saharan Africa in the 2022 Global Innovation Index. The country produces an average of 57.9 scientific publications per million people, showcasing its growing capacity for research and development. However, Kenya faces challenges in meeting its legal obligation to allocate 2% of GDP to R&D, currently investing only 0.8% of GDP. Despite this, there is a clear ambition to position Kenya as an active contributor and producer of AI, rather than merely an importer and consumer of AI technologies.
- Kenya has established a strong legal framework to support the ethical use of AI and data. Key instruments include the Data Protection Act (2019) and national strategies such as the National ICT Policy 2019, the Digital Economy Blueprint 2019, and the National Broadband Strategy 2018–2023. These frameworks underpin responsible AI development and align with global standards.
- The Kenyan Constitution guarantees access to information, a critical enabler for transparency and accountability. In 2024, the Media Council of Kenya introduced tools like the Data Governance Guide for Media Practice in Kenya and the Guide on the Use of Social Media and the Internet for Media Practice in Kenya to promote responsible AI use in journalism and digital media.
- Despite progress, significant disparities persist. Kenya faces a significant gender divide across key sectors. Women make up only 33% of academic staff and just 8% of registered engineers, with limited access to R&D funding. Additionally, there is a gender gap in access to advanced digital services, with 35% of women utilizing them compared to 54% of men. A rural-urban divide exists in internet connectivity, with only 17% of the rural population connected versus 44% in urban areas. Addressing these divides is essential for inclusive AI and digital transformation.
- The country faces a skills shortage in AI and ICT sectors. While the Digital Economy Blueprint 2019 and the Kenya Digital Masterplan 2022–2032 prioritize digital skills development, progress remains limited. 30% of employers cite the general skills gap as a challenge. Scaling up robust ICT and AI training programs will be critical to addressing this shortfall.
Country Landscape
AI systems shape and are shaped by a socio-technical landscape of institutions, geographies, and cultural contexts. Therefore, to better understand the environment of the design, development, and deployment of AI systems within countries, it is critical to view these processes with a lens towards the country as a whole.
The share of population with access to electricity is calculated by the World Bank and displayed by Our World in Data. The World Bank defines access to electricity as 'having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours a day'. This data was last reported as 76.54% for Kenya in 2021.
The share of the population using the internet is compiled by the ITU.
Last documented in 2022, they reported 40.8% of the population using the internet in Kenya.
The World Bank scores countries on various statistical performance indicators including data infrastructure. This score 'measures the hard and soft infrastructure segments, itemizing essential cross-cutting requirements for an effective statistical system'. The score is based on a range of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the best score.