Kenya’s Information and Communication Permanent Secretary Dr. Bitange Ndemo has appealed to the SAP management to consider lowering their pricing in order to attract more customers in the country and across the African continent.
Ndemo was addressing attendess at the SAP World Tour in Nairobi, Kenya today. Ndemo says this is in line with government’s plan to make communication affordable to as many people as possible.
Ndemo added that it will be possible, given the fact that the government of Kenya has embarked on a ambitious plan to improve infrastructure in the country in order to make Kenya a world-class ICT hub.
“We want to you to make use of the infrastructure the government has put in place. Currently, the infrastructure is not well utilized,” says Ndemo.
ICT in Government
Ndemo says Kenya’s government is currently digitizing all government departments and institutions in order to bring services closer to people through mobile phones. “We have also started working on end-to-end government which should be finalized by next year,” he said.
Ndemo added that another area the government is working on, is to digitize all hospitals, beginning with Kenyatta National Hospital.
He urged developers to join hands with the government in order not to miss out in governments plan saying that the government will start floating several tenders and urged IT firms to join in the IT revolution which is taking shape in Kenya.
“I would like to appeal to all companies to automate their products to be able reach as many customers as possible.
“We are going to provide local talents which has never been seen anywhere in the world. The environment is changing, the market is changing, take advantage and be the first to benefit from what the government is doing,” he added.
Kenya’s mobile subscription
Kenya, the East African largest economy, has recorded an impressive move with a record of 26-million mobile telecommunication subscribers, a senior government official told over 200 companies attending the SAP World Tour in Kenya.
“About 90% of Kenyans use smart phones and this will increase by 2013,” Ndemo concluded.
Brian Adero
