Kenya has become a Signatory Member of the Digital Cooperation Organization after signing the DCO Charter during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, a move towards full membership.
Signing Ceremony Details
H.E. Hon. William Kabogo Gitau, EGH, Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, formally handed over the signed Charter to Ms. Deemah AlYahya, the DCO Secretary-General, during a ceremony in New York. The signing was witnessed by H.E. Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, E.G.H., Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
Kenya joins a group of eight nations whose candidature was recently approved by the DCO Council. This group includes the eight countries that began the accession process following a DCO Council decision in July 2026. Once accession procedures are complete, the organization’s membership will expand from 16 to 24 countries. This expansion represents approximately 980 million people.
Kenya’s Digital Economy
The DCO describes Kenya as one of Africa’s leading digital economies. The country’s ICT sector contributed an estimated 9.2 percent of GDP in 2024. More than 80 percent of the population uses mobile payment and money transfer services.
Kenya’s digital economy is valued at approximately USD 4.2 billion and is projected to approach USD 13 billion by 2035. This growth is driven by investment in communications, digital services, innovation, and emerging technologies. The sector’s performance has outpaced the wider economy in recent years.
The DCO’s Secretary-General noted that mobile money penetration in Kenya reached 98 percent by the end of 2025. She highlighted that these figures reflect the daily work of entrepreneurs, students, and small traders who have integrated digital tools into ordinary life. She specifically pointed out that the information and communication sector grew by 4.8 percent in 2025, ahead of the wider economy.
Future Cooperation
Signing the Charter opens a new chapter for cooperation between Kenya and the DCO. The agreement enables both sides to advance shared priorities across digital transformation, responsible artificial intelligence, digital policy, skills and talent development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment.