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Building Digital Africa with Bitange Ndemo

In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Professor Bitange Ndemo, Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, former Permanent Secretary for Information and Communication, and one of the architects of Kenya’s digital transformation.

Widely regarded as a driving force behind the modernization of Kenya’s ICT sector, Prof. Ndemo oversaw landmark reforms including the installation of undersea submarine cables, the liberalization of telecom markets, the reduction of mobile termination rates, the launch of Kenya Open Data, and the rise of innovation hubs such as iHub and mLab. These reforms helped position Kenya as a continental leader in digital innovation.

Now serving in diplomacy while continuing his academic and research work in entrepreneurship and ICT-driven development, Prof. Ndemo reflects on the policy decisions that reshaped a nation, and what Africa must do next.

The conversation explores:

• How infrastructure unlocked Africa’s digital economy
• The political economy of reform and regulation
• Why Africa can leapfrog in AI and emerging technologies
• The power of youth, innovation, and open data
• And what “building digital Africa” truly means in the next decade

A thoughtful discussion on leadership, policy, technology, and Africa’s place in the global digital future.

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Data Talks is produced by World Data Lab, bringing global data to life through insights, conversations, and stories that matter.