Trade and Labour Pathways for Decent Work in Kenya's Digital Economy 2025

While Kenya has published its National AI Strategy, stakeholders noted that it lacks clear implementation mechanisms for supporting worker transitions or reskilling at scale. The strategy, as a high-level policy framework, does not contain detailed implementation provisions or regulatory tools, because these fall within the remit of legislation and accompanying policy instruments, which do not yet exist. To address this, stakeholders recommended that AI-related regulations/legislations be linked to social protection frameworks. This could include developing publicly funded reskilling programmes and incorporating digital workers into unemployment and health insurance schemes. Business and academic representatives called for partnerships with educational institutions to train workers for AI-related roles – e.g. machine learning, cybersecurity and algorithmic auditing. To benefit workers, such programmes could combine online and in-person formats, include job placement support and address barriers such as connectivity and affordability. On-the-job upskilling was highlighted as being critical. In parallel, stakeholders emphasized the role of trade and investment policy in shaping the future of digital work. Kenya should target higher value-added jobs – such as software engineering and AI development – through trade missions and export promotion. Such shifts would reduce dependence on low-wage microtasking and enhance global competitiveness. These supply chain strategies would complement domestic skilling efforts and enhance the country’s competitiveness in an increasingly automated global services market, while navigating a volatile geopolitical climate – marked by trade wars, tariff uncertainty and forecasts of net job losses – and contending with intensified competition for talent as sectors and roles are reshaped.3.3 Preparing for job displacement in an AI-driven future Trade and Labour: Pathways for Decent Work in Kenya’s Digital Economy 17