President William Ruto of Kenya has urged global technology companies and investors to engage more closely with Africa, emphasizing the continent’s vast potential for digital innovation driven by its youthful population.
Speaking at the inaugural Connected Africa Summit in Nairobi on Monday, Ruto positioned Africa’s entrepreneurial youth as pivotal to expanding connectivity and accelerating the digital transformation sweeping the region.
“With their brilliant minds, they are actively contributing to the growth of the global technology sector marking out Africa as an indispensable hub of technological innovation,” Ruto said of Africa’s young digital pioneers. He highlighted how they are spearheading breakthroughs in fintech, agritech, renewable energy and digital services, leveraging technology to tackle socioeconomic challenges.
However, Ruto acknowledged major connectivity gaps persist in Africa. Despite an internet penetration rate of 36% translating to 473 million users, fixed broadband access stands at just 5% across the 1.4 billion population. “We must be concerned by the fact that our rate of connectivity is poorer than the existing potential,” he warned, noting the region lags other markets globally.
He championed the Connected Africa Summit as a platform to craft a policy roadmap for bridging digital divides and empowering Africa’s digital economy. “Closing the digital divide is a priority in terms of enhancing connectivity, expanding the contribution of the ICT sector to Africa’s GDP and driving overall GDP growth,” he stated.
Eliud Owalo, Kenya’s ICT Cabinet Secretary, echoed Ruto’s calls for greater investment saying: “The Summit provides a unique opportunity for global technology leaders to forge partnerships that can unlock transformative solutions tailored for African markets.” He cited expanding broadband accessibility and enhancing affordability as key priorities.
