Kenya is accelerating plans to expand its data centre capacity and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled cloud infrastructure as the government moves to cement the country's position as East Africa's preferred digital investment destination.
Eng. John Tanui, principal secretary for ICT and the digital economy, said Kenya is creating a favourable environment for data centre operators and cloud service providers, citing improved connectivity, supportive regulation, renewable energy assets and growing regional demand as key competitive advantages.
"Kenya is increasingly becoming a preferred destination for global data centres and AI infrastructure," Tanui said at a stakeholder consultative forum convened to review policy and regulatory frameworks governing the sector.
Kenya's data centre ecosystem already includes Safaricom, Oracle, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, iColo and the government-owned Konza National Data Centre.
Expansion of terrestrial fibre networks has further strengthened the country's regional connectivity credentials.
The consultative forum drew representatives from the ICT Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority, Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, TESPOK, the Special Economic Zones Authority and several private operators.
Discussions centred on regulatory reform, policy incentives and public-private partnerships to deepen digital infrastructure capacity across sectors.
Oracle's recent decision to establish a cloud region in Kenya was cited as a signal of growing international confidence in the country's infrastructure and long-term investment outlook.
The infrastructure push is running in parallel with sector-specific AI integration efforts.
Kenya has entered a partnership with Google to deploy AI-powered tools in the tourism industry, including a real-time Tourism Pulse Data Hub built on Google Cloud and an AI trip planner offering personalised itineraries.
Rebecca Miano, cabinet secretary for tourism and wildlife, said the initiative supports Kenya's transition into a smart tourism destination, while Alex Okosi, managing director of Google Africa, said the collaboration is designed to build a more resilient and inclusive tourism ecosystem.
The government said expanded cloud and data infrastructure will underpin wider AI adoption in agriculture, finance and healthcare, sectors critical to Kenya's broader economic transformation agenda.
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