Kenya has released its first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2025–2030), a landmark document on the continent that sets out a government-led vision for ethical, inclusive, and innovation-driven AI adoption. Framed as a foundational step in the country’s digital transformation agenda, the strategy articulates policy ambitions that will be of interest to global companies developing, deploying, or investing in AI technologies across Africa.

While the strategy is explicitly domestic in focus, its framing—and the architecture of its governance, infrastructure, and data pillars—reflects a broader trend, i.e., the localization of global AI governance norms in high-growth, emerging markets.

What the Strategy Means for Global Technology Governance

The strategy touches on several themes that intersect with enterprise risk, product development, and regulatory foresight for multinationals:

  • Data governance and sovereignty: Kenya signals a strong intent to develop AI within national parameters, grounded in local data ecosystems. The strategy explicitly references data privacy, cybersecurity, and ethics as core enablers of the AI ecosystem. For global companies with cloud-based models or cross-border data transfer frameworks, these developments may signal localization pressures or evolving consent standards.
  • Sector-specific use cases: Healthcare, agriculture, financial services, and public administration are named as strategic AI priorities. Companies operating in the life sciences, health tech, or diagnostics space should watch closely for how regulatory authorities may interpret and apply ethical or risk-based AI guidelines—especially where AI is used in clinical decision-making, diagnostics, or personalized medicine.
  • Public-private AI infrastructure development: The strategy envisages expanded digital infrastructure, data centers, and cloud resources, as well as national research hubs. This may create commercial opportunities—but could also trigger localization requirements or procurement-related restrictions, particularly for telecommunications and hyperscale cloud providers.
  • Future legal frameworks: The current strategy is not itself a binding legal instrument, but it points to future policy development—especially around governance, regulatory oversight, and risk classification of AI systems. Teams advising on AI risk, litigation exposure, and AI-assisted products (including generative tools) will want to track the next wave of draft legislation and implementation guidance.

A Continental Signal for Future Regulatory Alignment

The Kenya AI Strategy 2025–2030 positions itself as one of the most structured and forward-looking national frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa to date. The strategy places strong emphasis on regional and international collaboration, aligning its ambitions with broader digital policy trends across the continent. It explicitly references the African Union’s continental AI agenda, and signals potential coordination through existing regional mechanisms, such as the East African Community (EAC) and Smart Africa initiatives.

For public policy and legal affairs teams within global companies, the strategy serves as an indicator of how African governments are beginning to approach AI governance, i.e., with a focus on responsible innovation, national data ecosystems, and sectoral oversight grounded in ethical principles and human rights.

As Kenya advances toward implementation, companies will need to consider how their AI deployment models, privacy frameworks, and regional infrastructure strategies align with these evolving regulatory expectations—and where targeted engagement may be necessary.

* * *

If you have questions about the implications of Kenya’s AI Strategy or broader AI regulatory developments across Africa and globally, please contact Dan Cooper at dcooper@cov.com, Ben Haley at bhaley@cov.com, Deon Govender at dgovender@cov.com, Ahmed Mokdad at amokdad@cov.com, and Mosa Mkhize at mmkhize@cov.com. This article is intended to provide general information. It does not constitute legal advice.

Tags: Africa Digital Policy, AI Regulation, Artificial Intelligence, Data Sovereignty, Emerging Markets, Kenya, Responsible AI
Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of Dan Cooper Dan Cooper

Daniel Cooper is co-chair of Covington’s Data Privacy and Cyber Security Practice, and advises clients on information technology regulatory and policy issues, particularly data protection, consumer protection, AI, and data security matters. He has over 20 years of experience in the field, representing…

Daniel Cooper is co-chair of Covington’s Data Privacy and Cyber Security Practice, and advises clients on information technology regulatory and policy issues, particularly data protection, consumer protection, AI, and data security matters. He has over 20 years of experience in the field, representing clients in regulatory proceedings before privacy authorities in Europe and counseling them on their global compliance and government affairs strategies. Dan regularly lectures on the topic, and was instrumental in drafting the privacy standards applied in professional sport.

According to Chambers UK, his “level of expertise is second to none, but it’s also equally paired with a keen understanding of our business and direction.” It was noted that “he is very good at calibrating and helping to gauge risk.”

Dan is qualified to practice law in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Belgium. He has also been appointed to the advisory and expert boards of privacy NGOs and agencies, such as the IAPP’s European Advisory Board, Privacy International and the European security agency, ENISA.

Read more about Dan CooperEmail
Show more Show less
Photo of Benjamin Haley Benjamin Haley

Ben Haley leads the firm’s White Collar and Anti-Corruption Practice in the Middle East and Africa and is a chair of the firm’s broader Africa Practice. With deep experience representing clients before regulators in high-profile white collar and disputes matters and a history…

Ben Haley leads the firm’s White Collar and Anti-Corruption Practice in the Middle East and Africa and is a chair of the firm’s broader Africa Practice. With deep experience representing clients before regulators in high-profile white collar and disputes matters and a history operating on the ground in emerging markets, he helps clients assess and mitigate a wide range of complex legal and compliance risks.

Complementing his investigations and dispute resolution practice, Ben has a broad-based compliance advisory practice, helping clients proactively manage compliance risk in areas including anti-corruption, trade controls, anti-money laundering, fraud, and data privacy.

Ben represents corporate and individuals clients in a wide range of investigations and disputes, including:

Investigations under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”).
Investigations into anti-money laundering, financial crimes, anti-terrorism, and sanctions and export control issues.
Securities fraud and accounting matters.
Board investigations and shareholder litigation.
Insurance recovery.

Ben also regularly advises clients on a range of regulatory compliance and corporate governance issues. His compliance advisory practice includes:

Performing risk and compliance program assessments.
Leading compliance reviews on business partners and assisting companies with third-party risk management processes.
Conducting forensic accounting reviews and testing and enhancing financial controls.
Advising on market entry, cross-border transactions, and pre-acquisition diligence and post-acquisition integration.
Assisting companies in designing, implementing, and maintaining best-in-class compliance programs.

In recent years, Ben has steered a number of clients to successful resolutions and declinations in complex FCPA and corporate fraud matters with the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities Exchange Commission. In his advisory practice, Ben has served as lead compliance counsel on a number of major M&A and investment transactions. He has developed special expertise assisting clients in leveraging technology in their compliance programs, including assisting one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies in the design and implementation of an award-winning compliance data analytics and monitoring system.

Ben has been described by the Chief Compliance Officer of one of his clients as “[a]n outstanding senior lawyer and advisor,” and “a guiding light for all things compliance advisory in Africa,” whose “advice is crystal clear, covers all angles and is business friendly.”

Read more about Benjamin HaleyEmail
Show more Show less
Photo of Deon Govender Deon Govender

Deon Govender is a vice chair of the Africa Practice Group. He focuses his practice on project development and corporate and project finance transactions across Africa, with particular emphasis on southern Africa. His experience ranges from advising on the development and financing of…

Deon Govender is a vice chair of the Africa Practice Group. He focuses his practice on project development and corporate and project finance transactions across Africa, with particular emphasis on southern Africa. His experience ranges from advising on the development and financing of renewable energy and thermal power projects and various other infrastructure assets in the transportation and telecommunications sectors. Deon’s experience additionally includes advising on financing independent power producer projects under the South African government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

Read more about Deon GovenderEmail
Show more Show less
Photo of Ahmed Mokdad Ahmed Mokdad

Ahmed Mokdad is an associate based in the Johannesburg office, and a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations and Anti-Corruption Practice Groups, as well as the Privacy and Cyber Security Practice Group. With a depth of experience representing clients across…

Ahmed Mokdad is an associate based in the Johannesburg office, and a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations and Anti-Corruption Practice Groups, as well as the Privacy and Cyber Security Practice Group. With a depth of experience representing clients across various sectors, Ahmed regularly assists clients navigate and mitigate a broad spectrum of regulatory and compliance risks.

Ahmed’s investigations practice includes internal and government investigations into anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, fraud, and financial crimes matters more generally. Complementing his investigations practice, Ahmed has a broad-based compliance advisory practice in these areas and in data protection and information security matters. This includes assisting clients in numerous sectors with compliance under South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

Adding to his investigative, regulatory and compliance advisory experience, Ahmed has extensive experience advising on numerous M&A and complex financial transactions. He has also been involved in several high profile international arbitrations, and litigious matters before the South African courts relating to, among other things, commercial and tax disputes, exchange control violations, government procurement irregularities, and defending white collar crimes. This experience gives Ahmed valuable perspectives and insights when advising on compliance advisory matters.

For international clients facing compliance issues cutting into Africa, Ahmed regularly advises on a range of issues that can arise in such context, e.g., labor and employment considerations, legal professional privilege, whistleblower protections, corporate governance reporting obligations, and control processes and protocols for engaging with government and law enforcement agencies. Ahmed is recognized by clients for providing practical advice and solutions on complex legal issues in ambiguous statutory regimes.

Read more about Ahmed MokdadEmail
Show more Show less
Photo of Mosa Mkhize Mosa Mkhize

Mosa Mkhize is a policy advisor and leads the firm’s Africa Public Policy Practice. Drawing on her experience both in government and in various roles in the private sector, Mosa provides strategic policy and regulatory advice to clients doing business with and across…

Mosa Mkhize is a policy advisor and leads the firm’s Africa Public Policy Practice. Drawing on her experience both in government and in various roles in the private sector, Mosa provides strategic policy and regulatory advice to clients doing business with and across Africa. Mosa does so by leveraging close to two decades of experience in international trade, public policy and government affairs.

Mosa assists clients on a broad range of issues including advocacy, strategic policy, regulatory, and dispute resolution advice in various sectors, including technology, energy and life sciences. In addition to this, Mosa’s capabilities include building strategic relationships and coalitions in support of smart technologies. Furthermore, she is currently working with government officials, private corporations, academia, and the general public on the development of regulations and policies that will bring about an enabling environment for digital transformation and economic growth in Africa.

Read more about Mosa MkhizeEmail
Show more Show less