Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Director General Mr.Zachary Mwangi (left) and his Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) counterpart Mr.Francis Wangusi at the launch of the National ICT Survey.
Kenya’s Communications Authority and the National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) have launched the country’s first ICT survey targeting business enterprises and public institutions.
The National ICT Survey seeks to measure access to and use of information and communication technologies in businesses and the public sector, with the data collected expected to provide useful information on the current uptake of ICTs in Kenya.
This information will be particularly useful for for policymakers, investors, academia and business leaders looking to identify trends and plan for the future of the ICT sector.
The survey will cost KES 64 million (US$ 628,000), with KNBS contributing KES 51 million (US$ 501,000) and the Communications Authority adding in a further KES 13 million (US$ 127,000). The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will offer technical assistance during the survey.
Speaking during the launch of the survey, Communications Authority Director General, Mr. Francis Wangusi said ICTs are a crucial catalyst in socio-economic development. “As policy makers, implementers and stakeholders in general, we need to have accurate data and statistics in order to plan for the future of the sector.”
“Accurate ICT data is essential in the Communications Authority’s regulatory interventions”, CA chairman Mr. Ngene Gituku noted, adding that such data could only be realized through regular collaborative research with KNBS, who are mandated to collect and analyze data from various market sectors in the country.
The KNBS Director General Zachary Mwangi noted that it was the first time such a survey was being conducted in the country, and the information would be useful in planning for the future of the sector.
The survey is expected to run for a period of 50 days, with preliminary results expected by June 2016.
