Kenya developing DPI roadmap to streamline public service delivery

The Kenyan government is in the process of developing a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) roadmap which will transform how citizens access public and private sector services.

The Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy held a breakfast meeting in this regard recently with local stakeholders and international development partners such as the European Union and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

During the meeting, a representative of the Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy, Mary Kerema, said the DPI roadmap seeks to lay a solid foundation that will facilitate the delivery of public services, enhance digital innovation and contribute to a more competitive Kenyan economy and cross-border digital trade.

The roadmap rests on five key pillars, namely inclusivity, trust, innovation, interoperability, and sustainability.

“The DPI Roadmap is not just a plan – it is a call to action. It will guide how government, private sector, and citizens work together to unlock digital identity, secure payments, trusted data exchange and digital platforms that will transform lives and businesses alike,” Kerema said, according to an ICT ministry X post.

She added that the roadmap, when fully developed and operationalized, will further strengthen the country’s position as a hub for digital transformation in Africa.

Kenya has a national ID (Maisha Namba) and digital payment systems which are important components of DPI, but it is expected that the roadmap will make these tool more impactful.

The Maisha Namba digital ID as well as other digital IDs are facilitating access to services, while the digital payment system, headlined by mobile money giant M-pesa, is helping advance financial inclusion, says a case study. It highlights the fact Kenya has been making major progress in the development of its DPI ecosystem with three core pillars, namely digital identity systems, digital payment systems, and ICT & connectivity infrastructure, which are all seen as key enablers of socio‐economic growth.

The development of the DPI roadmap in Kenya plan follows the launch of a National AI strategy 2025-2030 which the government believes will play a central role in its digital economy development.

Plans by the government are also underway for the development of a National Data Governance policy to guide the responsible and ethical use and management of personal data.

These initiatives are part of the Kenya National Digital Masterplan 2022-2032 which outlines the country’s digital transformation priorities for the next ten years.

Article Topics

Africa  |  digital ID infrastructure  |  digital identity  |  digital inclusion  |  digital payments  |  digital public infrastructure  |  government services  |  Kenya