Nyanza Digital Summit to Position Lake Region as Kenya’s Next Digital Investment Hub
Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy Eng. John Tanui addresses stakeholders during the Nyanza Digital Summit 2026 breakfast meeting in Nairobi on November 11, ahead of the inaugural summit scheduled for December 2–4 in Siaya County.
The Government has announced plans to position the Nyanza region as a major digital investment and business process outsourcing (BPO) hub, with stakeholders expected to develop practical solutions to accelerate technology-driven economic growth across the Lake Region.
The initiative will take centre stage during the inaugural Nyanza Digital Summit 2026, scheduled for December 2–4 at Bondo Technical Training Institute in Siaya County, bringing together government officials, private sector players, investors, development partners, academia and technology stakeholders.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ breakfast meeting in Nairobi on Wednesday, November 11, Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy Eng. John Tanui said Kenya had an opportunity to emulate India’s success in business process outsourcing by leveraging its existing digital infrastructure and growing technology industry.
Tanui pointed out that Kenya already hosts several global and local BPO companies that collectively employ more than 350,000 people, demonstrating the sector’s potential to generate employment and attract international business.
He said the Nyanza region could capitalise on the growing opportunities in the digital economy by positioning itself as a destination for business process outsourcing services.
The Principal Secretary further linked the region’s digital transformation prospects to the Government’s ongoing efforts to modernise transport and port infrastructure, noting that improved infrastructure would strengthen the region’s ability to serve businesses locally and globally.
The summit, organised by the ICT Authority in partnership with Siaya Digital Hub, will bring together participants from Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira counties to explore how digital technology can improve public services, create employment and stimulate regional development.
ICT Authority Chief Executive Officer Jessy Maruti said the gathering would provide an important platform for identifying regional priorities, developing project proposals and securing partnerships to accelerate digital transformation.
She noted that the outcomes of the Nyanza Digital Summit would feed into the National ICT Summit 2027, ensuring that the priorities identified by stakeholders in the region contribute to the country’s broader digital development agenda.
The meeting also unveiled eight thematic areas that will guide discussions during the December summit. These include Digital Infrastructure; AgriTech and Blue Economy; FinTech and Inclusion; HealthTech; E-Government Services; Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies; Cybersecurity and Data; and Digital Skills, Youth and Jobs.
Under Digital Infrastructure, stakeholders will examine connectivity challenges affecting schools, health facilities and government institutions, alongside the establishment of digital hubs and the operation and maintenance of public Wi-Fi services.
The AgriTech and Blue Economy theme will explore how technology can transform agriculture and strengthen economic activities around the region’s water resources.
Discussions will focus on digital agricultural extension services, access to market information, product traceability, financing opportunities and strengthening links between producers and buyers.
The FinTech and Inclusion agenda will examine the role of digital payments, online commerce and access to financial services in supporting businesses and expanding economic participation.
Meanwhile, the HealthTech and E-Government Services sessions will focus on improving digital service delivery, information management, interoperability and the protection of personal data.
The summit will further explore the application of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in addressing development challenges, while cybersecurity and data management will feature prominently as institutions increasingly adopt digital platforms.
Under Digital Skills, Youth and Jobs, stakeholders will examine ways of strengthening collaboration between training institutions and employers to ensure that young people acquire skills relevant to the changing labour market.
The discussions will particularly focus on employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in software development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data services, business process outsourcing and the creative economy.
Founder and Chairman of Siaya Community Digital Hub Dr Oburu Oginga called on stakeholders to ensure that the summit produces practical outcomes capable of transforming the economic prospects of communities across the region.
In a speech read on his behalf by his son, Jaoko Oburu, Dr Oginga challenged participants to measure the success of the gathering through tangible results, including partnerships, investments and employment opportunities.
“The success of this summit will not be measured by the speeches delivered today. It will be measured by the partnerships formed, the investments secured, the jobs created and the opportunities opened for our people,” he said.
He urged leaders, investors and development partners from the six counties to take advantage of the gathering to identify areas of collaboration and develop projects that would accelerate digital inclusion and economic growth.
Dr Oginga further called for collective action among stakeholders, emphasising that the region already had opportunities to participate in the digital economy and that the responsibility now rested with leaders and partners to turn those opportunities into reality.
“The future is not coming to Nyanza. It is already here. Our responsibility now is to build it together,” he said.
His remarks highlighted the need for stakeholders to move beyond policy discussions and ensure that digital transformation translates into tangible improvements in people’s livelihoods.
Siaya Digital Hub Chief Executive Officer Tabitha Ogutu said the hub’s work demonstrated that the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda was being implemented within local communities and was not confined to major urban centres.
Her remarks highlighted the importance of community-based digital initiatives in expanding access to technology, supporting innovation and creating opportunities for people outside established urban economic centres.
The December summit is expected to produce four major outcomes aimed at translating the discussions into implementable projects.
These include a regional investment pipeline, a skills and employment framework, an assessment of infrastructure and service gaps, and a partnership implementation framework.
The regional investment pipeline will identify priority projects requiring support from government, private investors and development partners, while the skills and employment framework will provide direction on strengthening the relationship between training institutions and industry.
The infrastructure and service gap assessment will identify areas requiring intervention to improve digital connectivity and service delivery across the six counties.
Meanwhile, the partnership implementation framework will outline participating institutions, financing requirements, responsibilities, delivery timelines and mechanisms for tracking progress.
The ICT Authority will provide technical support during discussions on infrastructure requirements, implementation arrangements and sustainability, working alongside county governments, public institutions and other partners.
Technology companies, investors, development agencies and academic institutions have been invited to participate in developing and implementing proposals covering infrastructure, innovation, enterprise development, research and training.
County governments, businesses, institutions, innovators and community representatives have also been encouraged to contribute to the summit’s priorities and programme.
Preparations will continue ahead of the December gathering through further stakeholder engagements, development of project proposals and coordination of participation across the six counties.
The inaugural Nyanza Digital Summit 2026, held under the theme “Harnessing Digital Innovation for Inclusive Growth in the Lake Region,” is expected to attract between 800 and 1,000 delegates from across the country and beyond.
The gathering is expected to provide a platform for regional stakeholders to establish partnerships, mobilise investments and develop practical interventions that will position the Lake Region as an active participant in Kenya’s digital transformation journey.
With its focus on technology, employment, infrastructure and enterprise development, the summit is expected to lay the groundwork for the region’s contribution to the National ICT Summit 2027.
