Kenya is gearing up for a technological revolution in public service with the launch of a Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skilling Project Board. The project aims to equip 100,000 public sector employees with the skills to integrate AI into their daily work and improve government operations and decision making.
First Meeting Kicks Off the Program
The program was launched this week during the first project implementation board meeting for the Regional Centre of Competence (RCOC) on Digital and AI Skills for Public Service. The meeting was co-chaired by Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui, the Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy, and Lars Tushuizen, the Deputy Resident Representative for UNDP Kenya. It was a big step forward in driving AI adoption in the Kenyan government.
The meeting brought together government agencies, development partners and global tech leaders including Microsoft to fast track the integration of AI in public service delivery.
Project Governance and Oversight
One of the outcomes of the meeting was the approval of the Project Board’s composition, the governance structure to oversee the project. The Continued Implementation Plan for the Digital & AI Skills Agenda was also endorsed, a clear roadmap for national and regional impact. This is a big step towards a digitally enabled public sector workforce in Kenya.
Train 100,000 Public Servants
One of the highlights was the establishment of a merit based selection procedure for the first cohort of 10,000 public employees, with 66% of them already ready to start training. Over time Kenya will scale up the program to 100,000 public servants to improve government efficiency and decision making through AI driven solutions.
This is not just about equipping local public servants with the skills for today’s challenges; it’s also part of Kenya’s vision to become an AI hub in Africa. Kenya has committed to share its AI training methodology and resources with 37 other African countries to promote regional cooperation and public sector reforms across the continent.
Position Kenya as an AI LeaderAccording to Eng. Tanui, “With this we are positioning Kenya as a continental leader in AI excellence, efficiency, decision making and inclusive governance”. This is in line with Kenya’s National AI Strategy (2025-2030 which was launched a few months ago and is fully funded by government.
Investing in the Future
Government has committed $1.19 billion (Ksh. 152 billion) to the National AI Strategy with 50% of the funds going into building the AI infrastructure. This massive investment will ensure Kenya not only adopts AI but also becomes a regional and global leader in AI governance and innovation.