Kenyan tech leaders engage with Meta’s Global Affairs President on advancing digital innovation

The Global Affairs President of Meta, Sir Nick Clegg has participated in an interactive thought leadership engagement organised by KICTANet. The event which aimed to foster collaboration and address mutual challenges in advancing Kenya's digital innovation ecosystem also brought together diverse stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry experts in e-e-commerce, fintech, AI, and digital content creation.

During a fire chat discussion with the CEO of KICTANet Dr. Grace Githaiga, Sir Nick Clegg touched on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in driving economic growth in Africa, highlighting infrastructure development, monetization, and safety.

Sir Nick stressed the democratizing effects of AI, underscoring its role in empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to reach their customers effectively. However, he also acknowledged the challenges of regulating technology, advocating for clear policies and standards to ensure safety while preserving user rights and transparency.

He then emphasized the importance of learning from global regulation examples to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts, proposing a regulatory framework that focuses not on regulating the technology but on managing its effects and outcomes.

Chairman of KICTANet, Ali Hussein Kassim in his contribution also presented an insight into the Kenyan FinTech ecosystem and the broader digital innovation landscape. He shed light on the country's remarkable progress in fostering a conducive environment for technological advancement.

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye