Kenya to Host Inaugural Software Summit in October

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, in partnership with other tech stakeholders, is set to host the first-ever Software Summit on 7th - 9th October this year at the University of Eldoret.

The Summit, which will bring together government agencies, private companies in the technology sector, Finance, Regulatory, Development Partners, Academia, as well as the software startup ecosystem, aims to build and strengthen Kenya’s software development ecosystem, positioning the country as Africa’s premier hub for software innovation.

“Kenya stands at a transformative crossroads with a vibrant youth demographic, a burgeoning pool of digital talent, and a dynamic mobile and internet ecosystem, we are uniquely positioned to lead not only Africa’s software revolution but to emerge as a global beacon of innovation and digital sovereignty, " said Cabinet Secretary, Hon. William Kabogo  Gitau in a speech read on his behalf by ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary Eng. John Tanui during a Software Pre-Summit stakeholder meeting at a Nairobi hotel.

To realize this vision, Hon. Kabogo underscored the country's commitment to building robust, forward-looking frameworks, both legal, institutional, and operational that will govern, nurture, and scale a world-class software ecosystem.

CS Kabogo noted that the forthcoming National Software Development Policy will serve as the cornerstone of this ambition, providing a clear, coherent architecture for software development, adoption, certification, procurement, and export.

“As we anticipate the Kenya Software Summit in Eldoret, let us approach it not merely as a convening, but as a strategic platform to consolidate achievements and define our digital destiny. Our software ecosystem is maturing, our regulatory frameworks are evolving, and our talent is world-class.

What remains is the collective resolve to coordinate, invest, and scale with purpose and unity. Together, let us code Kenya’s digital destiny—a destiny defined by innovation, inclusivity, and leadership on the global stage,” added Hon. Kabogo.

On his part, PS Tanui noted that Software is no longer just a tool—it is the engine of our economic transformation and a strategic pillar for national sovereignty, where he underscored the Ministry’s bold agenda to establish Kenya as a global software powerhouse.

Eng. Tanui noted that the forthcoming National Software Development Policy enshrines software as a strategic national asset, noting that the Build and Buy Kenya Digital Framework to champion locally developed software across government.

“Kenya’s moment is now. With strong legal, institutional, and operational frameworks, we are turning talent into opportunity, innovation into enterprise, and policy into impact. To our partners in the private sector, development community, academia and innovation ecosystem, this is your call to co-create, invest and scale with us, “added PS Tanui.

Present during the meeting were Principal Secretaries, State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs, Trade , Regina Ombam; Science, Research and Innovation, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak and Data Commissioner Ms. Immaculate Kassait, among other Private Sector Tech Leaders.