Kenya has taken a significant step in its digital transformation journey by establishing the Kenya National Open-Source Programme Office (OSPO), a move announced at the recent Global Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Summit in Cape Town.
Developed through the Open-Source Ecosystem Enablement (OSEE) Project in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the initiative positions Kenya as a trailblazer in Africa and among the first countries worldwide to set up a dedicated national open-source office in partnership with the ITU.
The OSPO will act as a central hub to coordinate, promote, and sustain open-source adoption across various sectors including government, academia, innovation ecosystems, the private sector, and developer communities. Kenya’s move was highlighted by Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui, Principal Secretary of the State Department for ICT and Digital Economy, who described it as a “significant milestone” for the country’s digital future. Esteemed representatives such as Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava of the ITU and Ms. Katherina Mänz from BMZ attended the event, reaffirming international support for Kenya’s digital ambitions.
The new office aims to build national capacity in open-source development, governance, and security, while encouraging the reuse of digital public goods to reduce duplication and inefficiencies in government ICT investments.
