On 7 October 2024, DigiKen was officially launched in Nairobi by Dr. Margaret Nyambura Ndungu, Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Digital Economy, alongside the Ambassador of the European Union to Kenya, Ms Henriette Geiger, the Ambassador of Spain and the UN Resident Coordinator, Dr Stephen Jackson. Following the launch, an inception meeting was held with key stakeholders, further solidifying the partnership between the UN, Team Europe, the private sector, and the Kenyan Government.
DigiKen, short for Digital Platforms Kenya, is a three-year UN initiative funded by the Joint SDG Fund with EU and their Member States as the main donors. It is spearheaded by the UN Resident Coordinator and the Kenya Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy, and implemented by a consortium of UN agencies, led by UNESCO, along with UNCDF, UN Women and UNEP. This consortium will collaborate with other development partners, such as GIZ Digital Transformation Center Kenya and the Estonian Centre for International Development to support the development of local digital platforms that will contribute to Kenya’s sustainable social and economic progress.
The Digital Landscape in Kenya
In 2024, two-thirds of the global population are utilizing digital platforms for self-expression, information sharing, and e-commerce. In Kenya alone, as of early 2023, there were approximately 10.5 million social media users, representing about one-fifth of the population.
The Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Dr. Margaret Nyambura Ndungu, emphasized the importance of digital access, stating that “In today’s world, access to digital platforms should no longer be a luxury, but a necessity. From education and healthcare to economic opportunities and civic engagement, digital inclusion is essential to how we live, work, and participate in society.”
Dr Stephen Jackson, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya, highlighted that approximately 1.2 million Kenyans, or about 5% of the population, are engaged in gig economy and digital work—a 3000% increase over the past three years. This growth is expected to continue exponentially.
By investing in the digital platform ecosystem, DigiKen aims to address this trend head-on and maximize the potential of Kenya’s digital workforce.
“By focusing on the growth of homegrown platforms empowering SMEs and creating opportunities for Kenya’s youth, we are laying the groundwork for a vibrant but also resilient economy” highlighted H.E. Henriette Geiger, Ambassador of the European Union to Kenya.
Advancing Kenya’s Vision 2030
Aligned with Kenya’s Vision 2030, which seeks to establish a dynamic platform ecosystem supporting the country’s transition towards becoming a middle-income nation, DigiKen aims to foster a robust, homegrown digital platforms ecosystem, by focusing on job creation, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and equitable access to digital tools and services.
Mr Mounir Ezzedine, Investment Specialist at UNCDF, explained that a key component of Digiken is the creation of “investment mechanisms that will start with small ideas and bring those small ideas to become large”. The project will support 150 Kenyan Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in accessing finance to develop digital platform businesses.
Additionally, DigiKen will provide capacity-building at scale of 20,000 Government officials and civil servants to lead digital transformation, and will strengthen 15 Digital Innovation Hubs, offering training in critical areas fostering digital skills, media literacy, and sustainable AI technologies among the local communities.
Eng. John Tanui MBS, Principal Secretary of the State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, expressed optimism about the Programme, seeing it as an opportunity to enhance the skills of public servants and ensure effective service delivery to Kenyan citizens.
Ms Louise Haxthausen, Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa emphasized that “while ensuring inclusivity in digital transformation is about getting those who are excluded in, it is also about encouraging government officials and civil servants to have more inclusive approach.” The initiative will promote the creation of policies and legislative frameworks that maximize the benefits of digital technologies while minimizing their risks and protecting fundamental human rights in digital platforms.
Ms. Rose Mwebaza, UNEP Director and Regional Representative for Africa, highlighted the importance of environmentally sustainable technology development. She noted that historically, development has had a negative environmental impact due to our “tendency to look at pollutive unsustainable technologies as solutions”. DigiKen aims to align with Kenya’s environmental goals by supporting digital platforms and businesses that can be integrated into the Government’s climate response strategies while promoting sustainable technologies.
Ms Anna Mutavati, UN Women Country Director, stressed that women have historically been marginalized in industrial revolutions, including the current digital transition. She further explained that women are not only excluded from the digital economy but are also often victims of harassment on digital platforms, with women politicians being frequently targeted, resulting in intimidation and oppression. “88% women using technology have experienced technology facilitated gender-based violence” stated Ms Anna Mutavati, UN Women Country Director.
To address this, DigiKen will focus on empowering women-led businesses and increasing women’s participation in Kenya's digital ecosystem. Building on the UNESCO EU-funded Social media 4 Peace project, it will also actively work to combat online harassment and create safer digital spaces for women and the youth.
Partnership to accelerate Sustainable Development
Misako Ito, Regional Advisor for Communication and Information from UNESCO, underscored the importance of leveraging partnerships from the outset. The Joint SDG Fund’s approach of securing partnerships is expected to yield a multiplier effect, catalyzing the ongoing Kenyan digital transition by uniting the effort of partners under one common vision to accelerate SDGs.
The inception meeting in the afternoon saw participation from key stakeholders, including the Delegation of the European Union to Kenya, GIZ Digital Transformation Center, the Estonian Centre for International Development, Government partners, the private sector, and digital innovation hubs’ managers. The discussions focused on identifying the way forward and solidifying a common understanding of tasks.
DigiKen’s launch marked a significant step forward in Kenya's digital transformation journey, promising to build a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous digital platforms ecosystem while ensuring that no one is left behind.
Note:
All joint programs of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
