Microsoft gathers African leaders in Nairobi to discuss digital transformation in the public sector

Microsoft is bringing together government decision makers from across the African continent to discuss digital transformation in the public sector at an event to be held in Nairobi.

The event according to Microsoft will address the company’s mission to empower sectors like agriculture, health, justice, transport, public finance and shared services, through digital transformation. During the event, Microsoft will also unveil some of the key solutions on offer in the transformation of these verticals.

“Changing demographics, with a youth bulge in Africa and the rise of millennial workers, mean a greater demand for better, more streamlined services. Most governments and nations in Africa are at the very early stages of digital maturity, but they also have an opportunity to leapfrog ahead as they can invest in cloud and not have to worry about legacy infrastructure,” said Kunle Awosika, Country Manager, Microsoft Kenya. “It is vital that the private and public sectors come together to ensure Africa’s most pressing issues, in areas including health, education and the environment, are addressed through digital transformation”.

Kenya will host a two-day event that will explore how cloud-based solutions allow African governments to make sure their infrastructure can not only handle their burgeoning populations but also actively improve economic health and quality of life for citizens. The discussion will focus on using cloud for social good and how the wave of innovation being unleashed by cloud computing can benefit everyone and ensure nobody is left behind.

Microsoft representatives from across the Middle East and Africa will also focus on transformation within specific sectors, while attendees will have the opportunity to discuss challenges, opportunities and best practices for services such as payments of taxes and bills, applying for government benefits, drivers’ licenses and registration of names.

“By 2020, 25% of the world’s economy will be digital,” Awosika says. “A digitally transformed government will help support informal employment, attract foreign direct investment, improve two-way communications with citizens and automate information sharing in parliament. It is up to government leaders and policy makers across the continent to harness the power of the cloud, to transform people’s lives for the better.”

Microsoft says Digital transformation represents the application of its ambitions – the opportunity for government organizations to think and operate like digital companies in the way they engage their citizens, empower their employees, optimize their operations and transform their products.

Speaking during the official opening of the workshop, Principal Secretary State Department for broadcasting and telecommunication in the Ministry of ICT, Mr. Sammy Itemere thanked Microsoft for choosing to host the event in Kenya. He said the country has successful experiences to share with other African countries regards Digital transformation

‘’Kenya has a critical role to play in contributing to the digital transformation of public sector institutions across the continent. We recognize that public/private partnerships are integral to digital transformation in order to improve service delivery and increase Africa’s competitiveness on a global scale, ‘’ he said.

‘’This workshop gives us the opportunity to explore how cloud-based solutions and the digitization of services for better service delivery can help solve some of Africa’s most pressing challenges.’’ he added.