Search
To meet the targets set out in the Kenya Vision 2030, including the ambition to achieve middle income status by the end of the decade, Kenya will need to lean into all the opportunities presented by a digital economy.
If harnessed effectively, core digital services, as well as more advanced technologies like cloud and artificial intelligence, could promote significant economic growth. In fact, new modelling by Public First has found that every $1 invested in digital technology in Kenya will create over $5 in wider economic value by 2030.
It is in this context that Google announced its $1 billion commitment to Africa. This investment – alongside the impact of Google’s core products and innovations across the region – has helped unlock widespread economic opportunities for Kenyan people.
To understand the scale of this opportunity, Google commissioned Public First to explore:
Including the economic and social impact of Google’s products and services, on individuals, workers, startups and businesses.
With an emphasis on the importance of investment in connectivity, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Our analysis demonstrates that Kenya can build on its recent history of successful technology adoption to accelerate social and economic progress. With strategic interventions and supportive policies, Kenya’s young population, increased industrialisation and thriving entrepreneurial spirit sets it up to become a digital leader.
Technology has the potential to deliver significant economic prosperity to Kenya.
We estimate that every $1 invested in technology will return over $5 for the country’s wider economy by 2030.
In 2021, Google announced $1 billion of investment in Africa to support a range of priorities, from improved connectivity to investment in startups over a five year period.
Google also supports the day-to-day lives of individuals, communities & businesses in the country:
Increased productivity indicates greater output from the same amount of input. It means higher efficiency with which a company or economy can transform resources into goods.
Online adults in Kenya identified Google Search as the most helpful innovations of the last few decades.1
Google Search and Google Workspace help knowledge workers save over 5.5 million hours a week. This is equivalent to a $608 million improvement in productivity for the country’s economy.
9 in 10 YouTube Creators agree that YouTube has given them a platform to share their creativity and culture with others – whilst also monetising their content.
This all contributes to Kenya’s digital potential.
Using Public First’s internet connectivity index, we estimate that a 1 percent increase in connectivity is associated with a 5.7% increase in GDP.2
We estimate that Google Cloud already saves Kenyan businesses over 7.6 million hours a year.
In 2021, Google committed to invest $1 billion in Africa to support the continent’s digital transformation. Our initiatives have focused on enabling fast, affordable internet access for more Africans, building helpful products; supporting entrepreneurship and small business, and helping nonprofits to improve lives across the continent. Three years on, we have made significant investments in the region and will deliver our commitments by 2026.
We commissioned this independent report by Public First to contextualise the scale of opportunity in Kenya, and to evaluate the impact of Google’s innovations. Google opened its first Sub-Saharan Africa office in Nairobi in 2007, and we’ve since enabled millions of Kenyans to access the internet for the first time – as well as empowering businesses and creators with digital tools. Alongside our direct investments, Public First estimates that Google’s tools and services grew Kenya’s economy by $900 million in 2023.
And there is still significant opportunity to be unlocked.
In May 2024, we announced a new fibre optic cable route from Kenya to Australia – Umoja – which will join Equiano and the Johannesburg Google Cloud region to form Africa Connect. Umoja – which translates as ‘unity’ in Swahili – will provide Kenya and other East and Southern African countries with faster, more reliable, and more affordable internet access.
At the same time, our AI Research Center and Product Development Center in Nairobi continue to build products and services that tackle challenges across Africa, while programmes like the Google Career Certificates help young Kenyans develop vital digital skills for the future.
Technology’s power is in the benefits it brings to people and communities. The stories in this report reflect the profound ways it can improve lives. From entrepreneurs using Google Workspace to build their businesses to students leveraging Google Search for their studies, these individuals inspire us to continue pursuing our mission of driving digital transformation across Kenya and Africa more broadly.
Country Director, Kenya
In this paper, we used a range of different methods to quantify the economic impact and helpfulness of Google’s products and services.
Building on the precedent of previous Google impact reports from markets including the UK, the United States, and Europe, we used traditional economic modelling built upon third-party estimates of Google market size across Sub-Saharan Africa, and standard returns on investment (ROI) to measure the economic activity driven by Google’s core products. To learn more about our modelling approach, please see the Methodology section in the report’s appendix.
Working with independent providers Dynata, we conducted extensive online polling of 943 online adults in Kenya. At the same time, we polled 187 senior business leaders from small, medium and large online businesses, representing a range of different industries. We also conducted an online survey of 464 YouTube Creators based in Kenya. Public First is a member of the Market Research Society. The full tables for all the data used in this report are available to download from our website.
While Google commissioned this report, all information in this report is derived or estimated by Public First analysis using both non-Google proprietary and publicly available information. Google has not supplied any additional data, nor does it endorse any estimates made in the report. Where information has been obtained from third party sources and proprietary research, this is clearly referenced in the footnotes.
In 2021, Chief Executive Sundar Pichar announced a landmark $1 billion investment in Africa’s digital economy over five years. Since then, Google’s commitment to Kenya’s digital transformation has been steadfast, contributing to connectivity infrastructure and rolling out extensive skills programmes for startups and individuals.
Google’s initiatives in Kenya include:
Google’s new AI Research and Product Development Center in Nairobi is dedicated to creating products and services that meet the unique needs of African users, as well as building solutions to address global challenges.
Google has announced the Umoja subsea cable, connecting Kenya to Australia via South Africa’s Google Cloud Region. This will improve the reliability of, and access to, internet connectivity within Kenya and the Sub Saharan Africa region more widely. Google also invested $5m to bring connectivity to 91 government institutions comprising hospitals, tertiary colleges and law courts.
A majority of Kenyans access the internet through a mobile device powered by Android. This is supported by a financing partnership between Android and Safaricom which gives qualifying customers access to a smartphone on a pay-as-they-use on a daily or weekly basis.
Initiatives such as the Google For Startups Accelerator Africa and Hustle Academy help growth-stage startups and small businesses in Kenya to succeed through training, mentorship and funding.
Beyond these direct investments, Google’s products and services are helping to power broader prosperity across the country – helping Kenyans to be more productive in their day-to-day lives.
Google Search and Ads help African companies connect with new customers, both locally and globally.
Google’s platforms, including YouTube and the Play store, offer ways for African businesses to digitally distribute their services, as well as for content creators and developers to share their ideas with the world.
Google’s tools, such as Workspace, Cloud and Gemini, help increase the productivity of African companies and workers.
Quantifying these benefits, we estimate that Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, Google Cloud and Google advertising tools contributed $900 million of economic activity for Kenya’s businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators and developers in 2023.
In practice, this means that Kenyan businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators, and developers were able to grow, thrive, and create employment opportunities worth $900 million in a single year as a result of Google’s presence in the country.
Estimated cost of the Special Economic Zone project in Dongo Kundu, Mombasa.
Estimated cost of the Mombasa Gate Bridge project.
Estimated cost of the Nairobi Expressway.
Economic activity refers to the actions that involve the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economic activity can be measured in various ways, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment rates, and business revenues. It reflects the overall health and dynamism of an economy.
Search
Gemini
Google’s most capable AI technology that supports an entire ecosystem – from the products that billions of people use every day, to the APIs and platforms helping developers and businesses to innovate.
Maps
Comprehensive navigation services, offering real-time traffic updates, directions, business information, and street-level imagery to help users explore the world.
Youtube
A video-sharing platform where users can upload, watch, and interact with videos, ranging from entertainment and music to educational content and vlogs.
Photos
A photo storage and sharing service that offers unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos, along with powerful editing tools and automatic organisation features.
Gmail
Workspace
Translate
A translation service that supports over 100 languages, allowing users to effortlessly translate text, speech, images, and web pages.
Android
Ads
An online advertising platform that allows small and large businesses to reach targeted audiences and drive measurable results through pay-per-click campaigns.
Google Cloud
Following its birth as a search engine in 1998, Google’s suite of services quickly expanded. Today, Google’s provision of free online services has helped to unlock the potential of the internet for Kenyans.
According to our research, online adults identified Google Search, Google Workspace, YouTube and Google Maps as among the most helpful innovations of the last 30 years.
When it comes to learning, Kenyans attribute particular value to Google Search. Whether the goal is to obtain quick answers to questions, learn about the world, look for content to enjoy, or find the products and services they need, Google Search is transforming their personal and professional lives.
of online adults strongly agreed that Google Search was essential to their daily lives
of online adults strongly agreed that Google Search is helpful
of online adults strongly agreed that Google search saves them time
Consumer surplus is a measure performed by economists that tells us how much consumers would be hypothetically willing to pay for a product above its actual price.
In 2023, we estimate that Google Search creates a consumer surplus for the average online adult in Kenya worth $29 a month, or almost $350 a year. In other words, you would have to compensate Kenyans $350 per year to lose access to the free service.
When it comes to travelling efficiently, mobile applications like Google Maps make navigation much easier – with Google Street View offering 360-degree imagery of streets across Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru, Nyeri and Malindi.
of online adults reported using Google Maps to avoid getting lost
of online adults reported using Google Maps to get directions while travelling
When it comes to communicating with others, Google Translate helps to traverse Kenya’s diverse linguistic landscapes. From Swahili to Luo, Google supports Kenyans as they collaborate with their friends and colleagues, as well as individuals further afield. Overall, 89% of users agreed that they find the tool very useful.
Google’s Flood Forecasting Hub uses AI to predict riverine floods across 26 countries in Africa. This includes forecasts delivered by the Flood Hub platform, up to seven days in advance of the event, featuring detailed inundation maps that indicate expected water levels in various areas. Early warning systems can then greatly enhance preparedness and evacuation efforts.
In 2023 and 2024, Kenya faced some of its worst flooding disasters in recent history ‒ with catastrophic floods and mudslides causing significant devastation. The Flood Hub platform has been instrumental in tracking river discharge levels in critical areas like the Tana, Mutonga, and Sagana rivers, providing essential data for managing this crisis.
Available in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, Project Relate is an Android app that aims to help people with non-standard speech communicate more easily with others. The app is currently in beta, and is a continuation of years of research from both Google’s Speech and Research teams, made possible by over a million speech samples recorded by research participants.
Users are asked to record a set of phrases. The app then uses these phrases to automatically learn how to better understand the user’s unique speech patterns, and give them access to the app’s three main features: Listen, Repeat and Assistant.
Google Relate suggests a long-list of pre-set words and phrases, but users can also create Custom Cards to record phrases, names and places that are specific to their day-to-day life.
Kenya has one of the youngest populations of any country in the world, with 80% of its population under the age of 35.3 Maximising the potential of this cohort will be critical for Kenya’s economic growth and societal development.
Whether through better education or career advancement, Google is helping young people (aged 18-24) to hone their skills and access better professional opportunities.
of young online adults said they had used Google Search to help with studying
of young online adults strongly agreed that their education would have been more difficult without Google Search
of young online adults said they had used Google Search to help them apply for a new job in the last 6 months
50-55% of jobs in Kenya are expected to depend on digital skills by 2030.4 It is therefore unsurprising that young people in Kenya are keen to adapt to the digital economy and new ways of working. An overwhelming 97% of online 18-24 year olds agreed that digital skills will be important to their future careers.
As the labour market is transformed by new technologies, Google services are enabling Kenyan adults to learn new skills to equip themselves for the digital age. We estimate that over 300,000 18-24 year old Kenyans learned new digital skills through Google Search in 2023. As these individuals become more skilled, they are able to work more effectively – creating an estimated $98 million improvement in productivity.
Kenya boasts a young developer base. But the country’s rapid growth demands an increasingly strong tech talent pool and there are still significant skill gaps, particularly in software development.
Understanding this gap and the critical role of coding, in 2021 Google launched a pilot program to integrate developer training into Kenya’s extensive network of technical colleges (TVETs). By 2023, the program had trained 300 tutors, and its success led Kenya’s Ministry of Education to integrate the Android Basics with Compose course into the national curriculum as well as establish 9 student developer clubs.
The Ministry of Education, which now leads the project, further aims to train a total of 600 tutors in 100 institutions by December 2024, empowering them to equip 8,000 students annually with developer skills. Beyond expanding opportunities for Kenyan youth and entrepreneurs, this initiative also enhances the country’s ability to leverage its tech talent for continued economic growth and social mobility.
Kenya prides itself on its dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit, reflected both by its vibrant startup scene and by motivated individuals navigating the informal economy.
With total venture capital startup funding of $800 million in 2023, Kenya’s capital city Nairobi has built a reputation as one of the major entrepreneurial hubs in Africa.5 Simultaneously, the vast informal economy gives rise to a “hustle” mentality – with Kenyans quick to spot an innovative earning opportunity.
of online adults describe themselves as an entrepreneur
of online adults say they work as an entrepreneur full time
of online adults say they they are pursuing their own business as a “side hustle”
Whether as part of the formal or informal economy, Google is providing the tools that Kenyan entrepreneurs and startups need to realise their business ambitions. According to our polling, 68% of online businesses less than five years old agreed that the costs of starting a business have reduced substantially because of internet tools such as Google Search, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Workspace, or Google Business Profile.
Moreover, Google is taking significant steps to champion ambitious young people in Kenya ‒ helping them to overcome the challenges associated with starting a new business.
In late 2016, fintech entrepreneur Hilda Moraa founded the Kenyan-based start-up Pezesha. Meaning ‘financial enabler’, Pezesha is a platform that provides SMEs with access to affordable credit through three core services: Know Your Customer verification (KYC), credit scoring and embedded finance.
Hilda started the company with the ‘hugely ambitious’ aim of addressing unemployment and poverty in Africa. She believes that empowering business owners by securing working capital and gaining a credit score could bring benefits to the economy as a whole and support the wider community.
Prezesha started out as part of the Google For Startups Accelerator Africa and Google LaunchPad Programme that predated it. Hilda says Google’s resources and expertise enabled the start-up to scale in new markets and experience 30% growth. Since then, Pezesha has helped over 200,000 customers receive a credit score and financial education and created thousands of jobs.
She is optimistic that her success with Pezesha can be replicated, and that Africa is poised to take advantage of the opportunities associated with digital transformation:
“I am confident that we will continue to see a wave of unicorns emerge from Africa’s vibrant tech scene as we have continued to see Africa rise […] with more investments and success stories that show our future is here.”
Pippy Leather Works is a small enterprise based in Nairobi, Kenya. Specialising in crafting high-quality leather goods and primarily employing local women, the business initially struggled to expand its reach and improve operational efficiency. However, business operations were transformed in 2022 after its founder, Milka Adhiambo, attended the Google Hustle Academy.
The Hustle Academy is a free, 5-day virtual bootcamp for small businesses in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, focusing on building future-proof business success. This initiative offers tailored training including AI tools, business strategy, digital marketing, and financial planning, directly addressing the areas where SMBs most commonly encounter challenges.
Milka was able to apply everything she learnt to her business. Pippy Leather Works now enjoys a robust online presence, has doubled its revenue and expanded its team.
The internet has redefined the way companies operate. In the past, Kenyan businesses had to rely purely on word of mouth or traditional public advertising to attract customers, most of whom would likely be local.
With an online presence, companies can now promote and sell their services to a broader customer base, streamline operations and enhance their visibility. These benefits will be ever more pronounced as increasing numbers of Kenyans become internet users.
Our polling confirms that Google tools are widely used by Kenyan consumers to find local businesses:
of online adults said they had used Google Search or Google Shopping to find a local business in the last month
of Google Maps users say they have used the app to find a local business in the last month
Similarly, in our business poll, online companies widely reported that search, maps and paid search advertising were among the most effective ways they connected with customers. On average, companies reported that around 15% of their new customers find them through Google Search.
As Google is used by people around the world, customers can be found from further afield. 49% of businesses in our survey strongly agreed that online search engines have made it easier for global customers to find their business. In total, we estimate that Google Search and Ads are supporting over $330 million in exports beyond Kenya’s borders every year.
Google tools are improving the productivity of workers and businesses across the Kenyan economy. From Workspace to Search, Cloud to Gemini, knowledge workers are able to collaborate more effectively, learn new information or skills, and analyse data.
Together, we estimate that Google Search and Google Workspace save knowledge workers over 5.5 million hours a week in Kenya. This is the equivalent of producing a $608 million improvement in productivity a year.
of online adults strongly agreed that Google helps them to be more productive at work
of online adults strongly agreed that their job would be very difficult or impossible if they did not have access to Google Workspace
of online businesses strongly agreed that Google’s tools and services have helped accelerate the growth of their business
In February 2024, Google launched its new paid Gemini model. Over the next few years, Gemini is expected to continue building capabilities to help workers keep on top of their emails, draft documents, query their company’s existing data and do new analysis. In our business poll, over half of online companies in Kenya told us they expected to use AI to help them automate administrative tasks in the next few years.
YouTube serves to democratise culture and creativity in Kenya, allowing ordinary Kenyans to develop exciting content, connect with new audiences and even monetize their ideas.
Leading the way is singer Otile Brown, who made history in January 2022 as the first Kenyan artist to surpass 1 million subscribers on YouTube. He has since been joined by a further 29 channels based in Kenya with more than a million fans.
We polled Creators across the country to understand their experiences sharing content on YouTube. In total, 88% of Kenyan creators we surveyed agreed that YouTube had given them a platform they wouldn’t have otherwise had, helping them to share their ideas and content with more people than ever before.
of Creators surveyed agreed that YouTube allows them to be creative
of Creators surveyed agreed that YouTube makes it easier to communicate to the world
of Creators surveyed started their YouTube channel to inspire others
While these creators are popular within Kenya itself, YouTube also acts as a means of promoting Kenyan culture across the world. 81% of those we surveyed had started their YouTube channel so that they could showcase their culture, while over a quarter (27%) estimate that a majority of their viewers are outside of Africa.
Kimberley, a content creator from Kenya, is inspired by the African way of life and intent on spreading its image and popularity around the world. Since joining the platform in 2021, her channel already has nearly 200,000 subscribers and has generated over 67 million views.
“My goal is to give you real life in Africa, from food, African culture, lifestyle, African history and everything in between. My goal is to satisfy your curiosity and inspire you to visit Africa.”
In a culture that prizes entrepreneurship, YouTube also allows Kenyan Creators to make money while following their passion. As their view count ticks up, popular YouTube channels receive revenue through advertising, the YouTube Shorts fund or brand deals.
of creators surveyed agreed that YouTube has helped them to monetise their hobby or passion
of Creators surveyed agreed that YouTube has helped them to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions
of Creators surveyed have successfully monetised the content they upload to their YouTube channel
With the ability to monetise content, YouTube is an engine for Creators’ careers. Over a third (37%) of those that we surveyed describe themselves as full-time, professional Creators, and nearly a quarter (24%) employ one or more staff to help their channel run smoothly.
The Creators we polled for this research have an appetite to keep innovating to develop their content in new ways. Indeed, more than a third (37%) have already experimented with AI tools to support their creative process.
Google is helping to nurture Kenya’s growing ecosystem of over 50,000 software and app developers.6 Together, its operating system Android and mobile distribution platform Google Play Store provide crucial resources for Kenya’s developers to market and sell the innovative services they create.
The Android operating system is both free to use and open source. This limits development costs for app developers, as well as reducing the time spent debugging and maintaining cybersecurity standards. The standard compatibility that comes from Android being used by a variety of device manufacturers also prevents the need to develop different versions of apps for different devices. In total, we estimate that Android has saved app developers in Kenya over 78,000 days in development time – the equivalent of $2.7 million in reduced development costs.
Similarly, Google Play Store’s large footprint allows Kenyan developers to tap into a vast market of 2.5 billion users across the world, who in turn make over 140 billion downloads a year. Overall, in 2023 we estimate the Android App Economy generated over $5 million in revenue for Kenyan developers, while the Android developer ecosystem is supporting over 16,500 jobs across Kenya.
Over the last half century, Kenya has been transformed. Life expectancy has increased by over a third, the proportion of the population in poverty continues to reduce, and adult literacy rates are now among the highest in Africa.7 Its economy has also been expanding continuously, growing at an average rate of 4.8% from 2015 to 2019.8 Building on this progress, through its Kenya: Vision 2030, the government aspires for Kenya to become a middle income country by 2030.
Kenya’s blossoming tech sector will be key to achieving this goal. As connectivity increases and digital literacy spreads, Kenyans will be empowered to take full advantage of emerging technologies like mobile broadband, cloud and AI to increase economic growth, improve standards of living and reduce poverty. By 2030, we estimate that internet adoption could reach 70% of the population.
Kenyans themselves are deeply excited by the opportunities presented by technology. In our polling:
of online adults were optimistic about the impact technology will have in the next ten years
of online adults agreed that technology is one of the most important ways their country’s economy can grow faster
of online adults strongly agreed that their country should invest more in digital skills and infrastructure to support new technology
Nicknamed the ‘Silicon Savannah’, Kenya is already developing a reputation as a leader in tech adoption and innovation. In 2022, its ICT sector accounted for 7% of its GDP, and is expected to grow to 9.24% in 2025.9 In fintech, its pioneering M-PESA mobile payment system has been adopted almost universally across Kenya and further afield in Africa and Asia. The World Bank estimates that M-PESA alone has contributed 2% to Kenya’s GDP since its inception.10
However, in order to take advantage of this opportunity, Africa will need continued investment in supporting infrastructure and boosting digital skills and literacy. The country still struggles with issues including high levels of poverty, gender inequality and significant geographical gaps in connectivity and energy infrastructure. 72% of online adults strongly agreed the government should invest more in digital skills and infrastructure to support new technology.
Digital technology is one of the most powerful ways for Kenya to boost its economic growth, with mobile broadband, cloud and AI particularly key to unlocking success over the next decade. We estimate that every $1 invested in the tech sector on average contributes a remarkable $5 to the wider Kenyan economy.
Increasing access, reliability and speed of the Internet remains fundamental to supporting Kenya’s digital transformation. Not only does the Internet provide essential services that consumers and businesses use on a daily basis, connectivity is also foundational for the adoption of more advanced technologies that rely on it.
Whilst significant progress has been made across the country, more needs to be done to ensure equitable infrastructure coverage, access and quality. In 2022, just 40% of Kenyans were using the internet.11
of online businesses said that high-speed internet connectivity provided the greatest opportunity to their businesses
Repeated studies have stressed the importance of increasing internet connectivity and adoption for supporting wider economic growth. Using Public First’s internet connectivity index, we estimate that a 1% increase in connectivity is associated with a 5.7% increase in GDP.12
Submarine fibre optic cables (“subsea cables”) will be critical to achieving improved connectivity – and the associated economic growth – in Kenya. These cables provide high-capacity, low-latency data transmission, essential for international communications. Without subsea cables, the internet would be much slower and less reliable, severely limiting our ability to communicate and share information worldwide.
The Google’s Africa Connect initiative seeks to boost internet speed and reliability for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya. This means reduced costs, as well as faster downloads, smoother video calls, and a better overall internet experience.
Google unveiled its plan to build the Umoja cable, the first ever fibre optic cable to directly connect Africa with Australia. Umoja, which translates as ‘unity’ in Swahili, will start in Kenya, cross many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa including Uganda, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, and connect with the new Google Cloud Region in Johannesburg, before crossing the Indian Ocean to reach Australia.
Combined with the Equiano cable (Umoja’s west African equivalent connecting Sub-Saharan Africa to Portugal), Umoja will provide Kenya and other East and Southern African countries with more reliable connectivity. Providing this new route, separate from other connectivity routes, is similarly critical to maintaining a resilient network for a region that has been prone to significant internet outages.
Welcoming the announcement, Kenya’s president William Ruto said:
‘I am delighted to welcome Google’s investment in digital connectivity, marking a historic milestone for Kenya, Africa, and Australia. The new intercontinental fibre optic route will significantly enhance our global and regional digital infrastructure’.
Once the internet connection is in place, Kenyans will need to be able to access it via an affordable device. While prices of smartphones are coming down, they still cost over 60% of the monthly income of many Africans.13
In 2020, Android initiated a partnership with Safaricom dubbed Lipa Mdogo Mdogo to allow qualifying customers access to the internet and the world of possibilities through a smartphone that they could pay-as-they-use on a daily or weekly basis. This collaboration has brought more Kenyans online and helped them take advantage of the opportunities that exist online.
In our polling, 65% of online adults in Kenya strongly agreed that affordable smartphones and free internet services have ensured that people in their country can use the internet. In total, we estimate that Android’s increased affordability has allowed an additional 1.8 million Kenyans to access the Internet, who would not have been otherwise able to do so.
Google has invested $5 million in last mile connectivity equipment to enable public institutions to connect to the government’s national fibre optic network. The Project is being overseen by the Ministry of ICT and has so far reached 91 institutions from hospitals to tertiary colleges and law courts.
Alongside helping to streamline public services, the impact of high speed connectivity is proving especially valuable for hospitals by enabling the rollout of Telemedicine. The Principal Secretary of the State Department of ICT, Jerome Ochieng stated:
“Through Telemedicine made possible by high speed internet connectivity, local doctors will be able to consult doctors abroad in real time and if crucial equipment is available in the country, our people will be spared the expense of seeking treatment abroad.”
Following on from this commitment, Google also recently announced its signing of a Statement of Collaboration with Kenya’s ICT Ministry to accelerate joint efforts in cybersecurity, data-driven innovation, digital upskilling and “responsibly and safely deploying AI for societal benefits”. More specifically, Kenya’s Department of Immigration & Citizen Services is considering using Google Cloud’s CyberShield solution to strengthen its eCitizen platform.
Cloud technology offers a comprehensive network of remote servers that manage, store and process data. These services, including those offered by Google Cloud, have transformed the operations of businesses across the economy – reducing costs as businesses grow, and offering best-in-class security.
Previous research by both Public First and Deloitte has found that investment in public cloud services leads to an average net return of investment of over 2 to 1. This is because the cloud enables new products, reduces IT costs, improves employee collaboration and saves time. In total, we estimate that Google Cloud saves over 7.6 million hours for Kenyan businesses a year.
Beyond time savings, cloud services can also be significantly more energy efficient and sustainable. Google data centres use 50% less energy compared to the typical data centre, and are powered by 100% renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. By moving computing workloads to Google Cloud, we estimate that Kenyan businesses have prevented almost 5,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
There is now real opportunity to scale these benefits across Kenya. As it stands we estimate that only around 17% of companies across Kenya are currently making use of the cloud. However, this is likely to increase by two fifths by 2030, creating $2 billion extra in additional economic value for the economy.
Google’s story is inextricably linked to the development of AI. In 2017, researchers at Google developed the Transformer model, a new type of deep-learning that made it much easier to train larger models. This key technological advance underpins the large language models which have become so popular in recent years.
AI offers the opportunity to significantly improve the productivity of Kenyan companies and workers, in turn contributing to the country’s overarching prosperity. In total, we estimate that AI could grow the economy of Kenya by $2.4 billion.
In the present day, 70% of online adults in Kenya claim to use these models at least once a week – and are interested in a range of potential benefits offered by the emerging technology.
of online adults were very interested in using AI to help protect themselves online
of online adults said they were very interested in using AI to eliminate mindless or repetitive tasks at work
AI’s economic and social benefits are often intertwined. For example, AI could help find new medicines, improve agricultural productivity, detect risks from extreme weather conditions earlier or provide personalised education.
With this in mind, Kenyans are confident in the potential for AI to transform society. When asked how they would like to see AI being used more widely, there was clear support for a range of use cases.
This aligns with Google’s work to develop bold and responsible AI that makes the world a better place. Google’s local researchers in Nairobi collaborate with research teams across the globe to work on AI-based tools to create change for communities worldwide.
Ultrasound technology is crucial for monitoring foetal development and identifying potential complications early in pregnancy. However, in Kenya, only 16% of pregnant women receive ultrasounds due to the high cost of traditional machines, power outage issues, and the need for specialised operators.
To address this gap, Jacaranda Health is collaborating with Google on an eight-month research project to explore how AI tools can support point-of-care ultrasound delivery in Kenya.
The project involves testing new handheld ultrasound devices that are more portable, power-efficient, and user-friendly than traditional machines. These devices, enhanced by AI technology, simplify the process of acquiring and interpreting ultrasound images, allowing nurses and technicians to perform examinations without extensive training.
Jay Patel, Head of technology at Jacaranda Health, heralded the programme as representing part of the revolutionary potential of AI in healthcare: ‘The work we have planned with support from these Fellows will give us the springboard to significantly improve maternal and newborn health outcomes through the power of AI, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare.’
The AI Sprinters report published by Google in 2024 established a framework for policymakers to harness the economic potential of digital technologies. That framework is even more relevant today as countries seek to participate in the AI transformation.
Becoming an AI Sprinter — a country that harnesses AI to accelerate economic development — requires both widespread AI adoption and adaptation to local needs. A robust digital foundation is crucial, and the four AI Sprinters pillars offer a roadmap for building it:
Cloud computing is essential for governments, local enterprises and organisations to deploy AI systems cost-effectively, securely and at scale — ensuring that AI is widely and inclusively deployed. Policymakers should advance cloud-first initiatives that prioritise cloud solutions over traditional IT systems.
AI promises to propel economies forward — but this can only happen if workers know how to use AI to enhance their productivity and expertise. Google.org’s initial AI skilling commitment for developing countries is a first step. More collaboration between the public and private sectors is needed to build AI fluency, strengthen STEM education and increase online learning opportunities.
High-quality datasets that represent diverse perspectives, languages and cultures are essential for training AI models effectively for local markets. Governments should commit to better utilising and sharing data to improve public services like health care, education, transportation and disaster response, and invest in the infrastructure needed to promote responsible use of data. Similarly, governments should enable trusted cross-border data flows to ensure models and systems are trained on rich, geographically diverse data.
Continued AI innovation — both in AI models and applications — requires the right regulatory framework, one that ensures that AI can be responsibly and boldly deployed. Governments should pursue risk-based and proportionate approaches to regulation; maintain privacy and copyright frameworks that enable use of publicly available information while respecting legitimate rights; support and contribute to the development of international technical standards for AI; and adopt national AI strategies.
Google Ads
Following the precedent of past Google impact reports, we use third-party data to estimate the total size of the Kenyan Google Ads market, combining our estimate of the paid search market with Statcounter estimates of Google’s market share.
In order to produce estimates of the total size of the paid search market for Kenya we used PWC’s Global Media and Entertainment Outline provides data.
AdSense
In order to estimate total Adsense revenues, we combined:
Cloud
In order to estimate total Google Cloud revenues, we combined:
YouTube
In order to estimate the total spend on YouTube Advertising, we combined:
Android
In order to this estimate total Android revenues, we combined:
In addition to this, we conservatively assume that developers earn the same amount from indirect contract work as they do from app stores.
We drew on the US O*Net occupation database, which contains information on 51 different types of work activity for around ~800 types of occupation.
Our headline estimate is an equally weighted estimate of investing in:
Mobile Broadband
To estimate the potential ROI from mobile broadband, we:
Cloud
To estimate the potential ROI from cloud, we:
Generative AI
To estimate the potential ROI from AI, we:
Used our overall automatability estimate per economy as a proxy for the proportion of the workforce that is likely to be affected.