Public and Private Sector Partnerships to Foster Digital Economy

The rapid spread of digital technology has been one of the most impressive success stories in terms of African economic growth since the turn of the millennium.
It is not an overstatement to assert that Kenya has been at the forefront of this success story and towers a tad higher than most of her continental peers.

Known as the “Silicon Savannah,” Kenya has seen its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector grow an average of 10.8% annually since 2016, becoming a significant source of economic development and job creation with spillover effects in almost every sector of the economy.
It is important to note that, while the public sector has made significant contributions, such as financial backers funding underwater cables and the development of e-government services, the role of the private sector has clearly been critical to the entire process.

Collaborations between the private and public sectors have been key to the success of Kenya's digital economy boom, which is something to be proud of.
A robust and coherent regulatory framework mooted by the government has especially enabled startups to thrive, with innovators developing new startup ideas in the Silicon Savannah." Along with energy, FinTechs, and e-commerce, digital business is the key focus of Kenyan start-ups.
It is important to note that joint partnerships between the government and private entities have seen Silicon Savannah thrive. The government has played a great role by developing business incubators that have seen startups thrive. The private sector has lent a hand with much-needed funding.
Public investment in e-government (or e-administration) is a striking example of what the public sector can do to grow the digital economy.

According to Hon. Eliud Owalo, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy, Kenya's economic development, which necessitates collaboration between the public and private sectors, is generally well-suited to a platform-based approach in which different components from public and private stakeholders and start-up-type structures must be brought together in order to develop services for various customers, users, and citizens in general.

“The next phase in African digital development will involve a concerted joint effort by these different stakeholders both in the public and private sectors around digital platforms,” said Mr Owalo.
Mr. Owalo stated that the Connected Kenya Summit has fostered critical relationships between the private and public sectors, spurred ICT investments, and increased partnerships between the government and the private sector over the years.