Kenya trails regional peers in UN technolgy use, adoption survey

Nairobi City skyline. FILE PHOTO | NMG

By CONSTANT MUNDA
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Summary

• The country trails South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, Gabon, Cape Verde and Ghana in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD’s) Technology and Innovation Report 2021.
• The survey on 158 countries worldwide assessed progress made by countries in adopting, using and adapting to frontier technologies in a fast digitalising global economy.

The United Nations has ranked Kenya seventh in use and adoption of latest technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and drones in sub-Saharan Africa.

The country trails South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, Gabon, Cape Verde and Ghana in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD’s) Technology and Innovation Report 2021.

The survey on 158 countries worldwide assessed progress made by countries in adopting, using and adapting to frontier technologies in a fast digitalising global economy.

Frontier technologies include artificial intelligence (AI), super-fast internet connectivity (5G), the internet of things, big data, blockchain, 3D printing, robotics, drones, gene editing, nanotechnology and solar photovoltaic.

The UN body estimates these technologies control a $350 billion (Sh38.15 trillion) market globally, forecasting a jump to as much as $3.2 trillion (Sh348.8 trillion) in 2025.

“Frontier technologies are redefining our world, especially our post-pandemic future,” UNCTAD's director of division on technology and logistics Shamika Sirimanne said in a statement.

“It is key that developing countries do not miss the wave of frontier technologies, otherwise it will further deepen inequalities. Hence, societies and productive sectors need to be well prepared and build the required skills.”

The ICT ministry has set sights on positioning Kenya as a tech hub for Africa in rapidly evolving global gig economy, buoyed by higher internet penetration than Africa’s average.

Globally, Kenya is ranked 105 out of the 158 countries surveyed in the Geneva-based UN body’s “country readiness index" which used ICT deployment, skills, research and development (R&D), industry activity and access to finance to rate the preparedness levels.

UNCTAD has, however, recognised Kenya among top countries in the world which ranks higher in use and adoption of the frontier technologies than their position in per capita gross domestic product (GDP) — a measure of average economic output of its citizens.