Kenya is poised to ignite a fresh chapter in East Africa’s technology landscape as the region’s premier tech event, AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA, prepares to launch next week in Nairobi. The gathering aims to accelerate technology investment and foster cross-border partnerships within Africa’s rapidly expanding US$16.5 billion artificial intelligence market.
Hosted by inD, the worldwide organizer of GITEX events, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology of the Republic of Kenya, AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA will unfold from 19–21 May 2026 at two locations: the Inclusive AI Everything Summit at Sarit Expo Centre on 19 May, followed by the AI EVERYTHING KENYA EXPO on 20–21 May at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Over three days, the event will reinforce Kenya’s standing as a pivotal hub in building East Africa’s sovereign, inclusive, and investment-focused AI ecosystems. It will bring together regional and international technology leaders, policymakers, investors, and innovators to drive AI infrastructure and digital economy growth across a burgeoning East African market of over 300 million people.
H.E. Ambassador Philip Thigo, the special envoy for technology at the Office of the President of Kenya, stated: “Kenya has solidified its reputation as a leading technology hub in Africa, fueled by innovation, talent, and a forward-thinking digital agenda.
“Hosting AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA marks a defining moment for East Africa, demonstrating our dedication to shaping AI’s future in a way that is inclusive, sovereign, and aligned with Africa’s development goals. This is where East Africa moves toward co-creating a future where lives are improved, social divides are narrowed, and shared prosperity is achieved through innovation.”
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of the global organizer of GITEX, remarked: “AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA will bring together an outstanding assembly of digital economy stakeholders, united by a common vision to shape East Africa’s path in the emerging AI era.
“We are proud to introduce a new ecosystem of communities, networks, and relationships to a region where the enthusiasm and determination to forge new partnerships, execute visionary strategies, and pursue decisive, coordinated action for inclusive AI integration and digital sovereignty are palpable.”
Nairobi: Tackling Africa’s Most Pressing AI Challenges
The opening-day Inclusive AI Everything Summit gathers Pan-African government officials, global institutions, and industry trailblazers to engage in the critical debates shaping Africa’s AI future—from financing that supports the continent and developing homegrown talent, to sustainable food systems, universal energy access, and sovereignty without barriers.
With 60% of attendees coming from abroad, the summit highlights sovereign AI use cases and deployment strategies from leaders driving an inclusive future, featuring insights from the European AI Office, Goldman Sachs, IBM, AGRA, and government representatives from Mozambique, Ghana, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
The AI in Action Forum at KICC on 20–21 May then translates these discussions into practical applications, with sector-specific sessions covering energy and computing access, intelligent food systems, predictive security, civic technology, data as currency, and the preservation of African languages and culture in the AI era. The forum will convene CAIOs, CISOs, big tech CEOs, and enterprise leaders from across the continent and beyond.
Simultaneously, East Africa’s largest cross-sector AI showcase takes shape on the exhibition floor, featuring global technology ecosystem enablers including ASUS, Cisco, Fortinet, HP, Odoo, IT Park Uzbekistan, Kaspersky, Mastercard, Mitsumi Distribution, Redington, ZKTeco, and Zoho, alongside regional infrastructure leaders such as Africa Data Centers, eProcess Consulting, iX Africa Data Centres, Red Dot, and Mart Networks.
Mastercard, which powers digital payments across 210 countries and has leveraged AI for nearly two decades, will present a comprehensive suite of digital products, including its AI and agentic commerce offerings and concepts.
Shehryar Ali, Mastercard’s senior vice president and country manager for East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, said AI is set to transform African commerce and advance financial inclusion: “Africa’s AI market is forecast to reach US$16.5 billion by 2030, with the potential to generate up to 230 million digital jobs. AI is already enabling real-time fraud detection that safeguards billions of transactions and powering AI-driven credit scoring that brings underserved consumers and small businesses into the formal financial system.”
An Investor-Startup Ecosystem Fueling East Africa’s Digital Future
Kenya has risen as Africa’s top destination for venture capital, accounting for more than one-quarter (US$1.04 billion) of total funding raised across the continent in 2025. AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA 2026 in Nairobi now serves as the convergence point where capital, talent, and policy unite to accelerate investment and propel growth across East Africa’s digital economies.
With AI projected to contribute US$2.4 billion to Kenya’s GDP by 2030, the two-day expo connects the region’s emerging gamechangers with more than 100 investors from 21 countries, collectively overseeing over US$50 billion in assets under management. The investor group includes VCs deploying the majority of their investments across Africa, such as Norrsken22 (Sweden), Partech (USA), Verod Kepple Africa Ventures (Nigeria), Novastar (UK), and Seedstars (Switzerland).
The Venture Scaling Forum will address the real challenges behind building million-dollar companies, covering topics such as capital access, product-market fit for Africa, the path to profitability, and climate tech. Meanwhile, the Supernova Challenge—the world’s top startup pitch competition—offers East Africa’s most ambitious founders an equity-free cash prize and global visibility.
A Dynamic Agenda of Forums, Workshops, and AI Readiness Programmes
Beyond the main stage of AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA, expert-led workshops will guide technology executives from insight to action through intensive, hands-on sessions.
These include designing AI-driven processes teams can implement right away, practical training with African-deployable open-weight models such as Llama and Mistral, cybersecurity simulations that place participants inside live deepfake and AI phishing scenarios, and a rapid pitch-to-prototype sprint that transforms ideas into investor-ready AI MVPs in just three hours.
The workshop agenda is anchored by the ITU-led (International Telecommunication Union) AI Readiness Roundtable and Workshop, bringing together government leaders to advance shared AI standards and national strategies. Additionally, the ITU AI Readiness Hackathon—the first in ITU’s global series—invites students, researchers, and professionals to co-create an open AI knowledge base using ITU tools, data, and cloud credits.
The AI Cyber Offense and Defense Roundtable, led by ISACA, convenes C-suite and security leaders to explore how AI is reshaping offensive cyber operations, from automated vulnerability discovery to adaptive attack simulations.
More information is available at aieverythingkenya.com.
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