Ministry Positions Digital Infrastructure as Foundation for Next Phase of Digital Economy

Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding secure, resilient and investment-ready digital infrastructure as the country positions itself as a leading connectivity and technology hub in Africa.

Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Mr. Stephen Isaboke, EBS, made the remarks when he officially opened the fourth edition of ITW and Datacloud Africa in Nairobi, bringing together nearly 2,000 delegates from more than 80 countries, with about half drawn from executive and Vice President-level leadership.

PS Isaboke said the strong international participation demonstrated the growing importance of Africa’s digital economy and Nairobi’s position as a regional hub for connectivity, cloud computing, data centres and investment.

“Digital infrastructure is no longer simply a technology issue. It underpins our economy and the delivery of essential services, and when it fails, the impact extends to livelihoods and public trust,” he said.

He further emphasised that Kenya’s infrastructure expansion must go hand in hand with security, resilience and reliability. He identified route diversity, cybersecurity, reliable power, sound data governance and the ability to withstand physical, technological and environmental disruptions as key considerations in the development of the country’s digital infrastructure.

On his part, Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, CBS, who represented Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, H.E. Hon. William Kabogo, EGH during the Ministerial Breakfast earlier, spoke on the broader economic vision driving the country’s digital agenda.

He highlighted Kenya's connectivity roadmap from submarine cables to continental integration, observing before the conference delegates: "You will be the ones to enable Africa to claim its rightful share of global economic output."

The week-long conference brings together Government, industry and international stakeholders to discuss opportunities in connectivity, cloud computing, data centres, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, reinforcing Nairobi’s growing role in Africa’s technology ecosystem.

High-level representation included Hon. Adji Ali Salatou, Minister of Communication and New Information Technologies of the Republic of Niger.