Samsung and JKUAT Launch Innovation Campus to Boost Kenya’s Digital and AI Talent
Samsung and JKUAT Launch Innovation Campus to Boost Kenya’s Digital and AI Talent
Samsung Electronics East Africa has partnered with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) to launch the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) in Kenya.
The initiative aims to bridge the country’s widening digital and AI skills gap and prepare young people for opportunities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Building Kenya’s Future Digital Workforce
Through this partnership, JKUAT will train 80 learners every year in advanced Artificial Intelligence, Coding, and Programming skills. The program equips young people with practical, job-ready abilities and real project portfolios giving them a competitive edge in a fast-changing job market.
Samsung Electronics East Africa President, Richard Lee, emphasized the importance of this long-term investment.
“As Samsung grows in East Africa, our success depends on the well-being of our communities. The Innovation Campus is a commitment to the brilliant minds that will drive Kenya’s digital economy,” he noted.
Samsung and JKUAT Launch Innovation Campus to Boost Kenya’s Digital and AI Talent
Responding to Kenya’s Digital Divide
The need for this program is clear. According to the 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey, only 23.8% of households use the internet, and just 10.7% own a computer. Kenya also scores 0.43 on the Digital Divide Index, signaling limited digital competencies among the population.
AI readiness remains low as well. Only 32% of Kenyans are aware of Artificial Intelligence, even as global demand for AI skills continues to rise.
McKinsey projects that AI will generate $13 trillion in economic value by 2030 and reshape nearly 300 million jobs worldwide. Skills linked to AI fluency have already grown sevenfold in two years.
A Global Curriculum, Tailored for Local Impact
The Samsung Innovation Campus is part of Samsung’s global CSR vision, “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People.” It delivers training in AI, IoT, and Big Data using a world-class curriculum.
The program includes a Training of Trainers model where Samsung equips JKUAT faculty to teach the curriculum sustainably.
JKUAT, known for its strong focus on science, engineering, and technology research, sees the partnership as a natural fit.
“This program aligns perfectly with our mission to produce industry-ready graduates who can solve real-world problems,” said Vice Chancellor Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi. “It bridges academia and industry and prepares our students for the future of work.”
Strengthening Industry–Academia Collaboration
Strategic partnerships like this have proven benefits. They improve research quality, enhance technology transfer, and ensure universities produce graduates with relevant industry skills.
At JKUAT, the university’s digital innovation hub JHUB Africa will support this ecosystem by turning student ideas, research outputs, and industry collaborations into market-ready innovations and startups.
Promoting Inclusive Digital Literacy
A key design feature of the program is inclusivity. It prioritizes young Kenyans from underserved backgrounds and ensures that at least 50% of the beneficiaries are women.
This intentional gender balance aims to close the persistent technology gap and ensure equitable access to emerging opportunities.
