Kenya's ICT Skills Shortage

Kenya is a beautiful country that has so much to offer. From the breathtaking Mount Kenya to the warm beaches in the coastal region, there's certainly something for everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone in Kenya has equal access to these opportunities. In particular, the country's  ICT Solutions in Kenya  (ICT) infrastructure plays a crucial role in determining individuals' life chances and whether they can participate in the country's economic development or not. This article will briefly highlight some of the challenges that Kenya faces in relation to its ICT infrastructure, before explaining how technology can be leveraged to overcome these challenges.

Challenges Faced By Kenya In Relation To Its ICT Infrastructure

ICT is a ubiquitous part of everyday life in Kenya, with an overwhelming presence in every home and work place. Thanks to the rising importance of the digital sphere in the country, many individuals and businesses now rely on ICT to conduct their daily functions. This dependence has resulted in an increased demand for technology-related products and services, as businesses and individuals look to leverage the power of ICT to improve their lives. Unfortunately, despite this promising outlook, Kenya faces a number of challenges in relation to its ICT infrastructure.

Lack Of ICT-related Skills

Kenya's growing ICT-reliant economy has led to a significant increase in the need for competent ICT-related professionals. The country's limited educational resources cannot keep up with the demand, resulting in a critical shortage of skilled ICT workers. This is in addition to the already high unemployment rates in Kenya, which are a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global recession, further exacerbating the country's ICT skills shortage.

Limited Infrastructure

Kenya's ICT infrastructure is also sub-par, particularly in comparison to the country's economic and social needs. In rural areas, where the majority of the population lives, there are often limited options for internet connectivity, limiting the potential for remote working and e-learning.

Additionally, a significant proportion of the country's total population lacks access to the internet, social media, or mobile phones altogether. Those that do have these technologies often have to pay significant amounts for data, further limiting their digital spheres and the services that they can access online.

Bandwidth Lag

Another issue that plagues the country's ICT infrastructure is the excessive amount of time that it takes for data to travel across the country. Thanks to the high cost of bandwidth, which is the digital equivalent of "air traffic control," there are often significant delays while data is routed through the country. Delays like this not only impact the user experience, but also the efficiency of the entire system. In some instances, the delays are so significant that they cause data loss, as a result of buffer overflow or data corruption.

Security

The increasing presence of technology in every aspect of daily life in Kenya, as well as the country's expanding digital sphere, makes it a target of cybercrime. The limited safeguards in place to protect individuals and businesses from online fraud and identity theft leave many entities exposed and vulnerable to cyberattacks. As a result, Kenya suffers from a significant level of anxiety when it comes to cyber safety and security, with many individuals and businesses taking steps to secure their information and reduce their cyber insecurity, such as changing passwords frequently, using two-factor authentication, and shielding their Wi-Fi networks. While these cybersecurity best practices are essential, they can still leave one vulnerable to a determined cyber criminal, who may attempt to crack your password or access your device remotely in the case of a stolen Wi-Fi network. In the event of a cyberattack, having a plan B ready, in the form of an emergency communications tool like a text messaging service or an SMS-capable landline phone, is also critical for reducing damage and restoring peace to your everyday life.

Fragmented Government

One of the primary challenges that Kenya faces in relation to its ICT infrastructure is the lack of coordination and integration between government agencies and sectors. This is made even more complicated by the fact that the overall ICT strategy and budget is managed at the national level, while the actual development and implementation of ICT related policies takes place at the county level. While this may appear to be a streamlined approach, in practice it can lead to significant inefficiencies, as agencies and sectors try to work around or in parallel to each other, rather than synergistically, resulting in an over-lapping of resources and potential conflicts of interest. This fragmented approach not only makes it more difficult for businesses and individuals to navigate the country's notoriously complex web of regulations, but also hampers the country's economic development, as its ICT infrastructure hinders its ability to operate at a global level.

Limited Scalability

Finally, Kenya's ICT infrastructure is not easily scalable, as it relies heavily on expensive and slow physical broadband infrastructure, such as fiber-optic cable and DSL, which cannot be laid down arbitrarily. In particular, the lack of last-mile connectivity puts a limit on the country's ability to expand its internet presence and user base, as well as its ability to leverage the power of ICT to improve the lives of its citizens.

To conclude, Kenya is a country that, despite its incredible potential, still faces significant challenges in relation to its ICT infrastructure. To truly make the most out of its growing ICT economy and the opportunities that it provides, the country needs to invest in ICT-related education, training, and research, as well as improve its overall infrastructure, so that it can become more scalable and interoperable. This will not only allow for better growth and development, but will also make Kenya a more attractive environment for digital nomads and entrepreneurs, looking to make a difference and offer their services in an underserved market.