Digital talent scramble: How Kenya can capitalise on global demand

Already, digitally delivered services account for more than half of global service exports. Kenya is poised to benefit, with its digital economy projected to reach $23 billion by next year, contributing nearly 10 percent of the nation’s GDP.

It’s estimated 1.9 million Kenyans are already engaged in digital jobs. In fact, GitHub predicts Kenya could become one of the top 10 developer communities by 2030, with AI-related contributions rising rapidly, fueled by companies adopting new tools to compete globally.

These global successes underscore Kenya’s growing influence in advanced technology. However, the nation’s long-term prosperity depends on cultivating robust opportunities at home. Currently, only 24 percent of African firms make use of advanced digital tools. This digital divide stifles productivity and growth and limits the number of tech jobs available to young people, particularly in the informal economy, where AI could be transformative.

To fully realise the promise of AI, Kenya must accelerate the digitalization of its local economy. This means empowering local ventures to adopt advanced tools and ensuring that AI skills are in demand within the country, not just abroad.

A critical factor in encouraging widespread AI adoption is the quality and relevance of data. Currently, 96 percent of African CEOs cite data readiness as a challenge. What’s more, much of today’s AI is trained on datasets from outside Africa, limiting the effectiveness and fairness of AI solutions.

To address this, organisations, research institutions, and governments must invest in local data curation, labeling, and open-data partnerships. By building robust, representative data ecosystems, Kenya can ensure that AI systems reflect its unique languages, and socioeconomic realities.

However, even with improved data quality, the most significant barrier to AI-driven transformation remains human capital and infrastructure. While 81 percent of African CEOs believe that upskilling in AI will directly impact their success, the demand for advanced AI skills is outpacing current capabilities. Kenya ranks 93rd globally in AI readiness, highlighting the urgent need for investment in both skills and infrastructure.

This skills gap is compounded by fragile labour protections. Many digital workers operate outside formal employment frameworks, classified as independent contractors without access to minimum wages, social insurance or paid leave.

To truly advance inclusive growth, Kenya must pair opportunity with investment in infrastructure, policies, and skills development. Expanding digital access and strengthening Kenya’s thriving startup ecosystem are essential for empowering its large, talented, and youthful developer community.

Kenya’s skilling efforts are gaining momentum. The AI Skilling Initiative has already trained over 600,000 people. The next step is to implement industry-recognized credentials, integrate work-based learning opportunities, and align curricula with current employer requirements. This can increasingly be coordinated through platforms like the Kenya Artificial Intelligence Skilling Alliance (KAISA) which brings together the International Labor Organisation, the Government of Kenya, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, academic institutions, and development partners.

Its focus is on fostering decent jobs by championing robust policies, standardized credentials, and coordinated skills development programmes.

Community-based delivery models can also make an impact. For example, the Kenyan Union of Gig Workers (KUGWO) launched community learning campaigns, equipping over 1,300 participants with high-demand digital and AI skills while offering practical support for navigating platform work.

Kenya has built a solid base of digital talent, but converting that strength into global competitiveness will require targeted investment, stronger industry–government coordination, and sustained upskilling.

Emerging platforms such as KAISA are helping close the gap between global demand and local capability by connecting Kenyan professionals to opportunities that sharpen their expertise while strengthening institutions at home.

For businesses, these networks offer a practical route to accelerate AI adoption.

The writer is AI Skills Director, Microsoft Elevate