KLB targets Sh14.5bn revenue as government pushes commercialisation under new strategic plan

Public Investments PS Cyrell Wagunda has detailed a new commercialisation drive for the Kenya Literature Bureau during the launch of its 2025–2030 Strategic Plan.

The plan targets revenue growth, AI adoption, and expanded production capacity as Kenya restructures Government Owned Enterprises to reduce reliance on exchequer funding and improve competitiveness in a rapidly changing publishing and education environment.

Wagunda, who attended the launch of the five-year strategic plan on Monday, said the bureau’s transformation under the Government Owned Enterprises (GOE) framework is intended to make it a self-sustaining commercial entity.

The PS noted that reforms under the GOE Act of 2025 have repositioned the institution within a broader government restructuring agenda aimed at improving efficiency and financial independence.

“The firm has undergone various restructuring and evolution to its current status of a fully-fledged commercial Government Owned Enterprise (GOE) under the GOE Act of 2025 effectively placing it under the State Department for Public Investments and Assets Management.”

Wagunda explained that the new legal framework is designed to reduce dependence on government allocations while pushing state entities to compete in open markets and diversify revenue streams.

“The GOE Act shall reorient KLB as a profit-oriented, self-financing, and self-sustaining commercial entity thereby reducing its reliance on exchequer support but diversifying its revenue streams to demonstrate that GOEs can compete and thrive in a dynamic, open market.”

According to the strategic plan, the publisher has set ambitious targets to significantly increase revenue over the next five years.

“According to the Plan, KLB sets an ambitious but credible target to grow gross revenue from Sh12.5 billion to Sh14.5 billion by the 2029/2030 Financial Year.”

To achieve this, the institution will expand its market reach, strengthen partnerships, and increase investment income while enhancing its core publishing operations.

A key focus of the plan is technological transformation, including automation and digital migration across its publishing and printing systems.

“Plan commits KLB PLC to increasing internal production capacity from 3.6 million to 10 million units over the plan period, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) across publishing and printing operations, and migrating core systems to secure cloud platforms. These are transformational shifts that will determine KLB’s relevance and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry.”

Wagunda urged the organisation to modernise infrastructure and adopt automation to remain competitive in the evolving publishing sector.

He added that the reforms are expected to position KLB as a stronger player in both local and regional education markets while aligning it with broader government efficiency and commercialisation goals.

Stakeholders present at the launch included education committee representatives, former board leadership, and senior management officials, all of whom reaffirmed the importance of the strategic plan in reshaping the future of Kenya’s publishing industry.