Digital trade, defined as digitally enabled transactions for the trade of goods and services, is reshaping the global economy and the regional economy is not exempted. Its impact on growth, development, and job creation is powerful, especially among the youth. It has the potential to
In a landmark move set to redefine Kenya’s urban landscape, the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development has unveiled the much-anticipated National Building Code 2024. Published in the Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 36 on February 20th, 2024, this comprehensive code is
On Tuesday this week, SAMA AI was host to Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, alongside Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, Kenya’s Principal State Department Secretary of ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng.
The curtain came down on the 34th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, February 11th, in a tournament that featured some of the current best players in world football, including Sébastien Haller (Côte d’Ivoire), Sadio Mane (Senegal), Victor Osimhen (Nigeria),
As the world turns into a new year, the state of geo-political relations remains tense, with the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas conflicts continuing. However, predictions suggest that the state of global geopolitical relations will deteriorate as multiple events are set to take place and significantly influence
In transforming the legal sector, legal technology is automating processes and enhancing the provision of legal services by streamlining legal operations, increasing the department’s visibility, and adding value to the organisation. Briefly, the areas to be on the lookout for include Artificial intelligence and machine
Artificial Intelligence, in an ever-evolving technological world, can be considered the epitome of technological excellence. AI has been used in various sectors and different aspects of the normal functioning of society, such as education, agriculture and, most importantly, climate change. AI has the potential to
On July 28, 2022, the African Union (AU) released its Data Policy Framework. The Framework aims to provide a multi-year blueprint outlining how the AU will accomplish its goals for Africa’s digital economy. It also sets forth the AU’s vision, scope, and priorities for Africa’s
We live in an era where children can skillfully operate smartphones and tablets even before they can walk, proving that our children are growing up in a digital environment unlike any other. Indeed, with each passing year, technology’s impact on their life grows more powerful,
In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), it is crucial to scrutinise its impact on societies, especially those in the Global South. While AI systems are often perceived as neutral and efficient decision-makers, they are not immune to the biases ingrained in the data
The news this week in the banking and fintech world has been the acquisition of Choice Microfinance Bank by Chinese Investor Robin Duah Wei. Wei’s acquisition is interesting because he not only owns a digital advertising company but also mobile digital lenders in Kenya and
In the advent of the new adage that ‘data is the new gold’, entities are increasingly relying on data to drive their business decisions and as the basis for profit optimization. However, the collection, handling and storage of data must align with international standards on
In 2008, the “Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ Framework” were crafted under the leadership of Prof John Ruggie, then serving as a Special Representative of the Secretary-General. After three years, the United Nations Human Rights
SAMA was awarded the Gold Globee® Award as the Company of the Year – Artificial Intelligence in the 16th Annual 2023 Globee® Awards for Women in Business. Additionally, the International Awards Associate (IAA), in collaboration with the TITAN Women In Business Awards, also recognized Sama
The world of fintech is a dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape, characterised by innovation, agility, and the pursuit of financial inclusion. Fintech companies are known for their ability to move at breakneck speeds, introducing groundbreaking solutions to the market. However, this swiftness often places them
In the current era, technological advancements have yielded innovative solutions and numerous challenges. Some of these challenges are data protection infiltration, misinformation and disinformation and cybersecurity breaches. There have been instances where non-professionals access information with the intent to impersonate and steal their identity for
What is Digital ID? Digital ID, short for Digital Identity, is a unique representation of an individual, organisation, or device in digital form—a virtual representation of your physical ID. It typically includes information such as personal attributes, credentials, and authentication methods. Digital IDs
As the global community strives to accomplish equal pay for work of equal value, Sama reflects on the progress we have made toward gender equity and what still needs to be done. We recognize and celebrate the women and girls who are championing the advancement
Minority Report is a film about a police officer working in a department that can detect crimes before they occur, utilising Precogs—mutant beings plugged into machines that possess the ability to predict the future. For many years, humans have been intrigued by the possibility of
One of the oft-touted challenges of AI is context. Another is bias. AI applications cannot simply be copied and pasted into different contexts say from Western nations to Asian ones as the AI models need training for situational awareness. Nowhere is this challenge of AI more
Background After the World Coin craze a few months ago, the National Assembly established an Ad hoc committee on August 15, 2023, to inquire into its activities and operations in the country. The committee investigated several issues that they dubbed Terms of Reference of the
In an era where digital interconnectedness defines our world, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. October, designated as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, serves as a timely reminder for individuals, businesses, and governments to unite in the face of escalating cyber threats. Kenya’s recent encounter with
What is Maisha Namba? Maisha Namba is a unique personal identification number assigned to every Kenyan citizen upon registration, typically at birth. This number will be a lifelong personal identity number from birth to death. Maisha Namba will serve as the birth certificate number
The International Day for Universal Access to Information celebrated globally on 28th September 2023 underscored the significance of access to information. This year’s global celebrations held in Oxford, United Kingdom, centred on the role of the online space in ensuring access to information. Access to
In this era of dynamic technological advancements, artificial intelligence is consistently and speedily proving its effectiveness as a tool aiding in inventions. Further to this, we now have a prompt-based generation of novel content simply labelled generative artificial intelligence. The European Union is defining generative
In the quest to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, the world stands at a crucial crossroads. The 2023 SDGs report highlights a slower pace of progress over the past three years, signaling the urgency of intensified efforts. Yet, the challenges we face
In an increasingly interconnected world, the digital economy is rapidly becoming the heartbeat of international trade and commerce. Yet, as the digital landscape continues to evolve, it becomes apparent that traditional trade agreements are struggling to keep up pace with the dynamic nature of
A few weeks ago, the Worldcoin saga reverberated across Kenyan circles, characterised by disjointed communication from relevant government bodies, regulators revoking their licenses, and a significant information deficit among stakeholders and the general public. This painted a picture of the dire and ongoing situation. While
Policies pegged on local/foreign shareholding of companies in Kenya have been mired in controversy since 2006 when the local shareholding of foreign companies was reduced to 20% to attract foreign investments. This allowed investors to retain up to 70% of their equity, demonstrating the government’s
The integration of Huduma Namba, the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS), into various sectors initially sparked both excitement and scepticism in Kenya’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. What started as an ambitious initiative aimed at consolidating citizens’ data and streamlining government services began encountering significant
The rapid shifts in the digital revolution have transformed various aspects of society, from communication to business, and are now extending to the realm of sustainable development. Other factors notwithstanding, these technologies have ushered in a profound era of human advancement, redefining how we communicate,
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, content moderation has emerged as a critical defence against harmful and inappropriate online content. As the internet becomes an integral part of our lives, the need to ensure a safe and informative online environment becomes paramount. The digital age
In today’s digital era, the rapid advancement of technology has brought unparalleled convenience and connectivity to our lives. As video conferencing became a lifeline during the pandemic, Zoom emerged as a leading platform, enabling people to work, learn, and socialize remotely. However, recent developments
Worldcoin is an iris biometric cryptocurrency project. Worldcoin was founded with the mission of creating a globally-inclusive identity and financial network, owned by the majority of humanity. Worldcoin consists of a privacy-preserving digital identity network (World ID) built on proof of personhood and, where laws
Defining a contract The commercial world is largely premised on contractual agreements or arrangements. A universally accepted definition of a contract still does not exist, but the general concession is that a contract connotes an agreement enforceable by law. Succinctly put, a contract implies a
Embarking on an innovative journey, Apple at the beginning of June revealed that they would be launching a mixed-reality headset in 2024, the Apple Vision Pro. The market already has virtual reality headsets from Meta and Sony PlayStation but there is a growing use of
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) have become a hot topic in global finance. These digital currencies issued and regulated by central banks are sparking intense discussions and research. CBDCs have the potential to revolutionize monetary systems, reshape transactions, and improve financial inclusion, security, and efficiency
According to a McKinsey survey, high-performing companies attribute most of their profits to their integration and use of AI. According to the report, proactive AI adopters can see significantly higher profit margins in comparison to non-adopters. They are also positive about the future, predicting to
A data leak is when information is exposed to unauthorised people due to internal errors. This is often caused by poor data security and sanitisation, outdated systems, or a lack of employee training. Data leaks could lead to identity theft, data breaches, or ransomware installation.
If the recent pronunciation by a court in a copyright suit by Hip Hop artiste Hubert Nakitare, alias Nonini, against Japanese company Syinix Electronics Ltd and influencer Brian Mutinda, does not ring alarm bells for corporates and corporate influencers, concerning intellectual property, then what will?
Telcos in Kenya have adopted Internet of Things (IoT) technology through a variety of projects. Airtel has launched the ‘Always On’ solution to allow devices anywhere to stay connected after launching their eSIM, which has proven particularly useful in the transport sector for tracking cars.
The rise of TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, has been met with controversy over data security concerns and information autocracy risk. Several governments around the world, including the United States, the EU, Canada, and others, have imposed partial or total bans on TikTok due to
The Metaverse can best be described as an evolution of today’s internet and as something we are deeply immersed in, rather than something we primarily look at. It represents a convergence of digital technology to combine and extend the reach and use of cryptocurrency, artificial
Deepfakes refer to a form of Artificial Intelligence that is programmed to replace one person’s likeness with another in recorded video. The term “deepfake” comes from the technology called “deep learning,” which is a form of AI. Deep learning algorithms, which teach themselves how to
The Communications Authority of Kenya in January sent out a call for public consultation for emerging technologies regulatory sandbox. A regulatory sandbox can be considered as a regulatory space where a regulator allows anyone within the delimited space and time to test out business models,
SpaceX is aggressively growing Starlink internet satellite coverage throughout the globe. It provides a worldwide broadband network leveraging a low-earth orbit constellation to give high-speed broadband internet with the ability to enter remote and geographically isolated zones where internet access is difficult to achieve. It
Section 12D of the Income Tax Act was introduced via the Finance Act of 2020 which sought to impose a minimum tax of 1% on gross turnover. The tax rate was introduced to ensure that everyone, regardless of whether they make a profit or loss,
Privacy by design is a framework for personal data protection that aims to embed privacy considerations into the design and development of systems, products, and services. The approach advocates for the integration of personal data protection measures into the entire lifecycle of a product or
Generative Pre-trained Transformer or ChatGPT as it is commonly referred to, is a chatbot launched by OpenAI, a company that develops Artificial Intelligence (AI) and natural language tools, in November 2022. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that uses advanced natural language processing to engage in
Zuku, an internet service provider owned by Wananchi Group, has recently faced sharp public criticism. The company received widespread backlash online from its customers over poor internet services. Zuku customers experienced internet outage, downtime, and slow speeds for an extended period. To further worsen the
The government’s aim to transition at least 90% of government services online seems closer than ever. 5,000 services are set to be digitised within the next six months. To this end, 300 services have been digitised. Although it will be difficult to digitise 5,000 services
Kenya ranks among the top digital and tech economies in Africa. This is as a result of its advancement in the development of large-scale ICT infrastructure, broadband connectivity, and other digital services. Often referred to as Africa’s Silicon Savannah, Kenya is the regional ICT hub
The global economy has gone digital. This has increased the issue of tax avoidance and tax equity and sparked an increase in digital taxes worldwide, therefore increasing the number of challenges to trade law. Kenya is one of the nations that have rolled out a
Kenya will be marking its 59th Independence Day on Monday, December 12, 2022. This year’s Jamhuri Day Celebrations, dubbed “Innovation Jamhuri Day,” will focus on technology and innovation. A departure from prior years’ celebrations, this year’s Jamhuri is poised to look back at Kenya’s digital
Digital literacy has been the new normal with a bunch of companies and enterprises opening avenues to ensure that their clients and users of their products and services, explore and gain more information about their products and services with ease. This has seen some companies
When Jurgen Habermas, a German philosopher, wrote about the public sphere, he conceived of it as a space where people can share opinions and thoughts freely in support of the democratic process. The state is, however, not part of the public sphere which has the
There are unique opportunities to use ICT for economic growth, productivity increase, and better service delivery. According to the International Cooperation Development 2019 report on Guidelines and Roadmap for full deployment of e-governance systems in Africa, there are two critical elements of e-governance: digital elements
IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2022 offers IT, risk management and security leaders a lens into factors that can increase or help mitigate the rising cost of data breaches. It is a global report comprising data from 17 countries and regions, and 17
According to a McKinsey report, the African financial market which includes both fintech and formal banking was valued at $150 billion as of 2020. The evolution of the market is projected to be centered on 11 important countries that provide a favorable environment for fintechs
The hearing of the presidential election petition this week have had the ICT systems used in the election process under the microscope and have proven that the systems are essential to achieving a credible electoral outcome. Nevertheless, the risks and unforeseen challenges these technologies carry
The financial industry has benefited greatly from the buzz surrounding the African tech boom, with reports of African fintech businesses raising money becoming commonplace in tech media. It accurately reflects how much venture capitalists and investors have attracted financing to the fintech sector. Fintech has
In Part III of our series “Dissecting the African Union Data Policy Framework”, we will cover the key considerations in aligning a country’s regulatory context with the requirements of an African data economy. A trusted data environment requires users to trust the entire political and
For digital trade to occur, data has to be moved across borders. While data accumulation can be a safe and secure way to manage data, hoarding data without means to use, exchange, or repurpose in a safe manner can create underutilisation risks, which may decrease
Kenya’s ICT regulator, Communications Authority, has released guidelines to clarify how the Authority expects licensed service providers to respect and protect ICT consumers’ rights and encourage best practices by licensed service providers and promote the provision of high-quality services to consumers. The Customer Protection Guidelines
The data policy framework for African countries seeks to maximise the benefits of a data-driven economy by creating an enabling policy environment for private and public investments necessary to support data-driven value creation and innovation. The document, if implemented accordingly, will increase data policy harmonisation
The Council for Responsible Social Media is a recently established non-partisan and voluntary group that consists of five members from civil society organisations, data and technology, peace and security, and media. The Council aims to minimise online harms and make social media platforms safe for
Kenya ranked 116th out of 193 countries in the UN E-Government Development Index 2020 and has been on a steady journey towards embodying full digital transformation. In light of the advancements made by the Kenyan government, GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), Estonian Centre for
Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are critical for connection to the Internet because they represent the numbers that uniquely identify devices connected to the Internet. Every device connected to the internet has a unique IP address. However, a global shortage of IPv4 addresses has prompted all
The war against cybercrime in Kenya went a notch higher following an initiative by the government to curb the surge in the vice. During the launch of a new DCI national forensic laboratory in Nairobi on Monday, June 13, 2022, President Kenyatta singled out sim
The draft Kenya Information and Communications Act (Interconnection) Regulations form part of a series of features highlighting the salient details of the four draft regulations published by the Ministry of ICT. Why is it important At its core, the draft Interconnection Regulations have been developed
From fibre optic cables to telecommunication masts, multimedia gateways to mobile money transfer platforms, the development and deployment of tangible and intangible ICT infrastructure is an extremely capital-intensive undertaking. ICT infrastructure rollout and availability is critical to ensure access to reliable digital services. In a
The Central Bank of Kenya on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, issued a press release in relation to licensing of Digital Credit Providers (DCPs). The deadline for licensing of DCPs is September 17, 2022. The announcement by CBK serves to remind DCPs that are yet to
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) recently released the Economic Survey 2022, detailing how various sectors and job markets performed and offered insight into the post Covid-19 recovery. Kenya’s economy rebounded in 2021 compared to 2020, with most sectors recording significant improvement. According to
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced the establishment of an advanced forensic laboratory that will provide the authority the capability to access financial data from taxpayers’ computers and mobile phones, in a bid to detect tax evasion and to reduce financial fraud. The Kenyan
Energy is vital for the economic progress of a country. It has a significant impact on all aspects of development, ranging from environment, social, economic, agriculture, population and livelihood. The COVID-19 pandemic also served to catalyse digitalisation of all aspects of economic activities. . Kenya’s
The World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on April 26. Since the year 2000, the day is celebrated to raise awareness of the impact patents, copyright, trademarks and design have on our daily life. Intellectual Property (IP) rights are used to encourage innovation and
Kenya is poised to introduce coding for secondary and primary school students. This is after the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) approved a new syllabus that offers to equip children with coding skills. The rollout of the syllabus in Kenya will be a first
On Thursday, April 21, 2022, US Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo issued a statement on the establishment of the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum. The forum consists of Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, and the United States of
By Paul Okanda The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted many economic sectors and allowed a number of them to accelerate their hitherto slow adoption of information technology systems for efficient service delivery. One of the showcase emerging sectors remains education. This sector is now thriving with
Information Communication Technologies are developing so quickly that there is a need to design a way to allow constant growth in the economic system and community. This is why the Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, Mr Joe Mucheru, launched the Kenya National
The 2022 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE) is the 37th version in an annual series that highlights significant foreign barriers to US exports, US foreign direct investment, and US electronic commerce. The NTE Report identifies significant barriers, regardless of whether they
By: John Kabuchi Information Technology solutions continue to provide limitless opportunities facilitating much-needed efficiency at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) as part of organisational reforms. KEMSA is a strategic State Corporation mandated to undertake roles and responsibilities to ensure supply chain excellence for Health
The Kenya Film Classification Board seeks to assess the regulatory framework of the broadcast and Over The Top (OTT) and Video on Demand (VOD) in the country with a view to implement a co-regulation framework in a bid to ease business as well as create
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has called for comments from the public on its first draft Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework for data protection disputes. The ADR, in the context of the framework, is a voluntary process of settling data protection disputes
President Uhuru Kenyatta, accompanied by ICT CS Joe Mucheru, on Thursday evening, presided over the launch of Microsoft’s premier engineering hub, the Africa Development Centre (ADC). The ADC, valued at Kshs. 3 billion ($27 million), is one of the largest software engineering facilities in Africa,
Digital access is no doubt double edged. On one hand it exposes children to a wealth of benefits and opportunities, but on the other a host of risks, including access to harmful content, sexual exploitation and abuse, cyber bullying, and misuse of their private information.
Digital lenders have up to September 2022 to comply with regulatory requirements, including licensing by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). The Central Bank of Kenya (Digital Credit Providers) Regulations, 2021 (“Draft Regulations”), which are expected to be published before the end of March 2022,
Digital payments are progressively entering the mainstream, in correlation to the increased access, use, and adoption of ICTs in Kenya. However, the transition to and eventual adoption of digital payments will bear its own risks, in the form of cybersecurity risks. Against this backdrop, “A
On February 23, the European Commission proposed new rules on who can use and access data generated in the EU across all economic sectors. These rules would be contained in the proposed Data Act. According to the press release, the proposal for the Data Act
Human social interactions are on the verge of the next major evolution as we enter the age of the metaverse. The metaverse provides humans with access to a digital platform in parallel with our physical reality. The internet as we know it has the potential
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has expressed concerns over the integration of Huduma Namba (National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS)) into the voter registration and verification process. Through a memorandum to the National Assembly’s Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, the IEBC stated
Central Bank Digital Currency discussion: The pros, cons and reading between the lines The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) recently released a discussion paper on a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) intending to tease out a conversation around the possible introduction of a digital currency
2022 has been hailed as Kenya’s year for data protection compliance. Despite enactment of the Data Protection Act in November 2019, enforcement of Kenya’s data protection framework has largely remained hindered due to lack of a functioning regulatory supervisory authority, as well as insufficient regulations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is defined as the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. AI systems work by ingesting large amounts of labeled training data, analyzing the data for correlations and patterns, and using these patterns to make predictions about future states.
In an increasingly globalised world, consequential and integral to international trade is the flow of data. More than ever, for-profit organizations are expanding the scope of their operations across the globe to access new and larger markets or to capitalize on lenient tax regimes. Correspondingly,
It is 2022 and data protection continues to be a major issue in business. For companies operating in multiple jurisdictions, there are key trends that will be important for them to keep in mind. The growing call for international data protection collaboration In 2021, the
As more and more economic and social activities take place online, the importance of data privacy and protection is coming to the fore even as more users voice concerns over security of their private information. This points to why Meta launched a prototype Privacy Centre
By: Grace Wandera Brands have since time immemorial invested in every opportunity available to enhance their presence and reputation among the target market. Maintaining a good reputation and presence is among key priorities for every brand. While a number of years ago brand consciousness was
Kenya’s Data Protection Commissioner Immaculate Kassait has asked stakeholders to collaborate with her office to increase awareness of Data Protection laws and simplification of the legal framework. Ms Kassait said it is not the sole responsibility of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner to
Critical infrastructure assets are designated assets or facilities, whether owned by private or public entities which are designated as essential to the provision of vital services to Kenyans for their social and economic wellbeing. These assets, if destroyed, degraded or rendered unavailable, would impact on