President William Ruto urged American tech companies to invest in strategic partnerships with Kenyan counterparts, casting the country as ripe for a digital economic transformation.
In a speech delivered during a visit to Silicon Valley, Ruto outlined his vision of Kenya as an emerging regional technology hub and invited U.S. firms to collaborate on development projects.
“I have in mind, and hope we shall shortly strike a firm consensus, the overwhelming opportunity and compelling business case for American technology firms to engage in win-win strategic business partnerships with Kenyan counterparts,” Ruto said.
He also held engagements with top executives from major tech companies like Apple, Google, Intel and Microsoft while in San Francisco.
Ruto met with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger, Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat, and executives from Nike, GAP and Levi Strauss.
The head of state announced that Google has pumped KES 600 million to support internet connectivity, affordable smartphones and small businesses in Kenya. He added that Apple is also partnering with the Kenya Medical Research Institute on healthcare technology innovations while Intel has set up an artificial intelligence lab in Kenya to train youth in AI skills.
Ruto further said Microsoft has already provided wireless broadband access to over 1.5 million people in rural Kenya through a collaboration with local provider Mawingu.
He touted Kenya’s youthful population and growing skilled workforce as assets for tech sector growth. Ruto said over 70% of students in leading universities are enrolled in science, technology, engineering and math programs.
“More than 300,000 young youths graduate from Kenya’s over 65 universities annually, implying that we have a considerably well-educated population, which gives us the capacity to develop internationally certified engineers, scientists and researchers,” he said.
Ruto said Kenya already enjoys high internet connectivity and mobile phone penetration rates, providing a foundation for digital innovation. He announced plans to boost local manufacturing of smartphones.
“It is possible for us in Kenya to leapfrog over more traditional ICTs simply by keeping down the cost of smart phones,” Ruto said. “This possibility motivated my announcement earlier in the year, that the government would collaborate with the private sector to roll out the first million locally assembled smart phones to sell at only $40.”
The Kenyan leader invited tech investment in strategic areas like renewable energy, electric mobility, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. He framed Kenya as a gateway into broader African markets.
“If you build it in Kenya, it works for Africa, and if you set up in Kenya, your African footprint is guaranteed,” Ruto said.
