Microsoft announces ICT investment in Africa

27 June 2012

Kenya has been named as one of six sub-Saharan countries set to benefit from a new investment from the British Council and US technology giant Microsoft.

Under the terms of the plan, the parties will help to fund the construction of as many as 90 digital hubs, which are to be built throughout Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria, The Star reports.

Mutuku Nguli, the director of programmes at the British Council, explained that over the next couple of years, the British Council and Microsoft will each invest as much as $1 million in cash per annum into the project.

Additionally, they will help with the recruitment of new staff and other much-needed resources as Africa seeks to accelerate its implementation of new technologies.

Alex Nyingi, the academic programmes manager at Microsoft, said: “Our main aim is to see that students, teachers and the community as a whole living in today's increasing digital and connected world have ICT skills.”