Kenya’s John Tanui has launched the DigiKen initiative to increase the country’s digital literacy and maturity.

Kenya is enlisting the expertise of the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and the UK in bridging the digital divide and trying to fight cyber-crime.

These partnerships are part of concerted efforts to transition into a fully-fledged digital economy, under the aegis of Kenya’s Vision 2030 blueprint, which aims for an industrialised middle-income country by that year.

Aimed at empowering Kenyans to fully engage in the digital economy, the country has announced the introduction of DigiKen, a joint initiative of the government and the EU and UN.

Speaking in Nairobi where the DigiKen initiative was unveiled, John Tanui, Kenya’s principal secretary: State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy said: “DigiKen seeks to bridge the digital divide and foster the growth of homegrown digital platforms, particularly benefiting vulnerable communities across the nation.”

At the same event, Margaret Ndung’u, cabinet secretary: Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy, said through the programme, Kenya was empowered to take steps to close the digital divide.

“In today’s world, access to digital platforms is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. From education and healthcare to economic opportunities and civic engagement, digital inclusion is central to how we live, work, and participate in society,” she said.

Ndung’u said despite the rapid growth of digital technologies in Kenya, many citizens still faced barriers, including geographical, socioeconomic and physical, that prevented them from benefiting from this digital revolution.

“It is these vulnerable groups – the elderly, persons with disabilities, women, youth and people in rural areas that we must focus on. They are at risk of being left behind in our increasingly digital society,” she said.

On Monday, the UK pledged support to Kenya’s Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy in rolling out digital initiatives across the country.

A delegation from the British High Commission, led by the High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, met Ndung’u to discuss the progress of digital projects established through their partnership.

The UK embassy and Kenyan ministry said they were keen to boost cyber security efforts by monitoring cyber incident responses, developing mechanisms for digital forensics, crypto and digital payments, as well as utilising investigative techniques to avert cyber attacks.