In a bid towards advancing Africa’s inclusive digital and green transformation, the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy (MICDE) in close partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, has today launched the Africa Centre of Competence for Digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skilling and the timbuktoo GreenTech Hub at Konza Technopolis.
AI is rapidly transforming the future of work. Corporate investment in AI since 2020 is close to $1 trillion. Adoption is soaring. By 2025, Goldman Sachs expects AI investment to reach $200 billion a year globally. By 2028, analysts expect the global market for AI to exceed $1 trillion in size. In the public sector, profound changes are now possible. Harnessing AI tools could repair the relationship between government and citizens, put public services on a new footing, and unlock greater prosperity.
Africa Centre of Competence for Digital and AI Skilling has been established at the Kenya School of Government and is now fully operational, with the first cohorts of civil servants already undergoing training through both in-person and online sessions.The collaborative effort between the Government of Kenya, UNDP, Microsoft, Google, international and national partners, will equip 100,000 civil servants with essential digital and AI skills, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Centre aims to enhance service delivery, improve governance, and boost Africa’s global competitiveness. Using a cohort-based curriculum,the Centre provides tailored training and mentorship for participants, starting with representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Nigeria, with plans to include other African nations the upcoming year. It will serve as a hub for cross-country knowledge sharing-and collaboration, driving digital transformation and innovation across the African public sector.
Expected outcomes of the Centre include enhanced public service efficiency, the adoption of advanced technologies, and improved data-driven decision-making. Additionally, the Centre will promote cybersecurity awareness and encourage regional collaboration, enabling African nations to share best practices and accelerate inclusive digital transformation.
Green innovation will generate jobs and address systemic challenges with the timbuktoo GreenTech Hub is poised to drive Africa’s green economic transformation and make significant strides toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy.
