E-Commerce Strategy Launched in Kenya to Boost Online Commerce

Kenya's National E-Commerce Strategy was launched this afternoon at Radisson Blu, UpperHill. Dec. 13, 2023.

Published 13 December 2023

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Rebecca Miano, cabinet secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry, said the implementation of the strategy would stimulate domestic and cross-border trade, enabling Kenyan producers to respond to the international market and thus help address the trade imbalance between the country and others.

On Wednesday, Kenya launched its National E-Commerce Strategy in a bid to streamline this fast-growing sector amid the booming digital economy.

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Eliud Owalo, the cabinet secretary for Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, said during its launch in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the strategy seeks to make the country a regional e-commerce hub, boosting both local and export trade for income generation and job creation.

"This strategy will enhance access to global markets for Kenyan goods and services, especially for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by leveraging on e-commerce," he said.

Owalo noted that Kenya had a solid foundation for the development of e-commerce, which includes the provision of free Wi-Fi hotspots provided by the government and robust mobile money transfer services.

E-COMMERCE STRATEGY
"My Ministry, through the ICT sector regulator, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), has put in place protective mechanisms for the courier industry, responsible for the delivery of items purchased online"
CS ICT Eliud Owalo pic.twitter.com/EGU4gPVwoh
— OnPoint News Kenya (@onpoint_co_ke) December 13, 2023

Furthermore, Shamika Sirimanne, the director of the Division on Technology and Logistics at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Nairobi, said the strategy is a call of action for Kenya to build a robust e-commerce sector to boost inclusivity in trade.

Rebecca Miano, the cabinet secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, said the implementation of the strategy would spur domestic and cross-border trade, enabling Kenyan producers to respond to the international market and thus help address the trade imbalance between the country and others.

The strategy includes initiatives for the development of digital skills among the Kenyan workforce and entrepreneurs, as well as the improvement of internet connectivity and e-commerce-related infrastructure across the country.