from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Bureau
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – SMALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Kenya technological sector are strategically positioning themselves for investments by giant global technology companies.
Investment is anticipated mainly from those companies in the United States following the visit by President Willian Ruto to that country recently.
Conversely, the local companies have also been encouraged to explore markets outside the East African country.
The sentiment comes from a forum the Ajira Digital organised for SMEs in the eastern Makueni County.
It has been organised to explore emerging opportunities brought by the digital transformation and help enhance productivity for these businesses while creating more work opportunities for young people in Makueni and across the country.
Ajira Digital is an initiative of the government under the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Digital Economy, with strategic partnership of Mastercard Foundation.
The forum brought together businesses across Makueni, government representatives, technology providers and young people offering digital services, among other digital economy players.
The event comes right after the recent tour to Silicon Valley by Ruto, which is strategically positioning the country for consideration by the big tech and other international companies so as to enhance investment opportunities and trade relations with the United States.
This is with a particular focus on nurturing Kenya’s thriving start-up sector.
Ruto has emphasized Kenya’s young talent among other advantages within the country.
The main mandate of Ajira Digital is promoting the country as a freelancing hub for digital and digitally-enabled work talents.
Dr Ehud Gachugu, Director of Ajira Digital Programme at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, explained the reason they brought the forum to Makueni.
He believes the county is strategically positioned to influence other counties around it in the Eastern region.
Gachugu urged local businesses to focus on wider markets such as East Africa and the continent.
“If we do not prepare opportunities for our young people then we will be losing on our innovative workforce and assets and on the other hand heighten social challenges that might affect the business environment and eventually the productivity of the businesses,” Gachugu emphasised.
– CAJ News