Kenya: a Regional Competence Center to train 300,000 civil servants in digital and AI skills 🎓

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Kenya is taking a bold step toward digital transformation by launching a new regional training hub aimed at equipping its public sector with cutting-edge digital and AI skills. The government hopes the move will modernize public services and position Kenya as a leader in Africa’s tech ecosystem.

Backed by UNDP and Microsoft 💡

The new training center will be housed at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi and is supported by both the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Microsoft.
It’s a key pillar of the Kenya Digital Master Plan 2022–2032, which aims to upskill 300,000 civil servants by 2030—roughly 85% of the country’s public workforce.

The curriculum will include topics like digital ethics, cybersecurity, systems thinking, and human-centered problem solving. Trainees will also learn how to harness data to improve government services. The goal: to build a future-ready administration capable of designing citizen-centric, innovative public solutions.

Fueling public sector innovation with micro-grants 💼

To encourage practical application of these new skills, the government is also setting up a Public Sector Innovation Fund. This fund will provide micro-grants to civil servants looking to pilot small-scale digital projects that improve government services.

The move comes as Kenya works on its first-ever national artificial intelligence strategy (2025–2030), unveiled in May 2024. The strategy focuses on building an ethical, inclusive, and locally driven AI ecosystem. Key priorities include data governance, digital sovereignty, and homegrown talent development.

A blueprint for digital leadership in Africa 🌍

With this initiative, Kenya is doubling down on its ambition to lead Africa’s digital future. By investing in people—not just infrastructure—the country is laying the groundwork for a smarter, more agile public sector.

It’s a long-term bet on human capital, designed to deliver better, more responsive services to citizens through technology.

💬 Should more African countries follow Kenya’s lead and invest in large-scale digital training for civil servants? Tell us what you think in the comments 😁