Cisco, a global frontrunner in IT solutions and networking, has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ICT Authority of Kenya to establish collaborative efforts in support of the country’s Digital Master Plan and digitization roadmap. The MoU delineates the main areas of partnership between the two entities.
According to Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of the ICT Authority, the partnership between Cisco and the Authority is a crucial step in empowering Kenyans in the ICT sector and the country as a whole. The private sector, particularly companies like Cisco that understand the digital landscape, can help lay new national foundations and provide citizens with digital skills and opportunities. The cooperation between the private and public sectors is essential to bring the latest skills to the current and future workforce, and the partnership hopes to create a supportive environment for the private sector to support the government’s efforts in increasing Kenya’s ICT talent pool.
Shain Rahim, Cisco’s Country Manager for Kenya and Regional Leader East Africa, emphasized the company’s mission to build a better, more equitable, and inclusive future for everyone. Through its social impact grants and programs such as the Cisco Network Academy, the company has positively impacted over 527 million people, with the goal of positively impacting one billion people by 2025.
Cisco’s investment in Kenya’s national digital strategy through the Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program will make Kenya the third country in Africa to receive such an investment, following South Africa and Egypt. The partnership’s joint objectives include developing skills and providing national training programs that focus on building Kenyans’ skills relating to entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, and advanced digital technologies. They also aim to support the development of a sustainable innovation ecosystem that leads to economic diversification and job creation, deploy digital platforms for socio-economic development, and define initiatives aimed at building and improving Kenya’s underlying digital infrastructure.
Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will collaborate with the ICT Authority of Kenya to develop and implement training programs that enhance the skills of ICT professionals in Kenya. The training will focus on areas such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT), and will be conducted through the Cisco Networking Academy. The company’s commitment to expanding its digital and cybersecurity skills training to 3 million African people, including an in-kind contribution of $200 million for resources like curriculum, tools, schools, and instructors, is also highlighted.
Overall, the MoU between Cisco and the ICT Authority of Kenya is a significant milestone in developing the country’s ICT sector. Through this partnership, they hope to ensure that Kenya has the skilled workforce it needs to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the digital economy.
