Kenya has been ranked the 11th best outsourcing destination globally in the Ataraxis Global Outsourcing Index, a milestone the government says reflects the country’s growing strength in digital services, skilled labour, and technology investment.
The ranking places Kenya among the world’s leading business process outsourcing destinations and further cements its standing as one of Africa’s top digital economies as the government intensifies efforts to attract global technology firms, digital jobs, and foreign investment.
ICT Principal Secretary John Kipchumba Tanui said the recognition demonstrates Kenya’s rising influence in the global digital economy and the progress made in building a competitive outsourcing sector.
“Kenya’s emergence among the world’s top destinations for business process outsourcing (BPO) is a powerful affirmation of our growing digital competitiveness and global economic relevance,” he stressed.
Tanui said Kenya’s strong performance is being supported by a skilled workforce, improved connectivity, and a favourable business environment that continues to attract international companies seeking outsourcing services.
“Ranked 11th globally and among Africa’s leading outsourcing hubs, Kenya continues to distinguish itself through a skilled English-proficient workforce, competitive labour advantage, expanding digital infrastructure, and a stable business environment,” the statement stated.
He noted that the ranking goes beyond international recognition and highlights Kenya’s ambition to become a major centre for digital innovation and technology-enabled services.
“This milestone signals more than international recognition; it reflects Kenya’s strategic positioning as a premier destination for digital jobs, innovation, and technology-enabled services,” he stressed.
The government is now aiming to push Kenya into the top five outsourcing destinations globally by increasing investment in specialised digital skills and preparing industries for future technology demands.
According to Tanui, the next phase of growth will focus on developing expertise in emerging technology fields and strengthening the country’s readiness to serve global digital markets.
“To accelerate Kenya’s rise into the global top 5 outsourcing destinations, two critical areas require greater focus: scaling specialized digital talent and strengthening industry readiness,” he said, adding that priority areas include “AI, cybersecurity, cloud support, software engineering, and global customer experience.”
He also underscored the need for technical training and certification programmes to ensure Kenyan workers remain competitive in the rapidly evolving global outsourcing sector.
In a separate engagement with technology industry stakeholders, Tanui outlined the government’s broader digital transformation plans, which place cloud infrastructure and data centres at the centre of economic growth and digital service delivery.
He explained that cloud systems are becoming increasingly important in supporting government operations and the growth of emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence.
He said such systems provide “the heavy compute power necessary to scale Artificial Intelligence.”
Tanui maintained that collaboration with the private sector remains essential in driving Kenya’s digital transition and implementing large-scale technology projects.
“true digital acceleration cannot be achieved by government alone; it requires the capital, technical expertise, and relentless innovation of industry leaders,” he said.
The Principal Secretary pointed to partnerships with technology firms, cloud providers, and data centre operators as critical in turning government policies into practical investment opportunities.
He added that the government is also strengthening policies and regulations to support secure and efficient digital infrastructure.
Among the frameworks being developed or implemented are the National Cloud Services Policy, the Data Governance Policy, the AI and Emerging Technologies Policy, and the Government Interoperability Framework.
According to Tanui, these measures are intended to support secure digital systems while creating an environment that encourages innovation and economic growth.
“By coupling this deliberate cloud policy certainty with state-of-the-art data centre expansion, we are positioning Kenya as the undeniable powerhouse for global hyperscalers, cloud providers, and technology capital,” he highlighted.
Tanui said the government’s long-term digital strategy is centred on empowering young people, creating jobs, and attracting investment through localised data infrastructure.
He added that Kenya’s broader goal is to ensure the country becomes not only a consumer of technology, but also a regional hub that develops, hosts, and exports digital services to international markets.