Kenya eyes e-commerce investments in US pact
Monday, June 29, 2020 0:01
By ELIZABETH KIVUVA
E-commerce penetration in Kenya remains low despite a growth in the number of developers in the country.
FILE PHOTO | NMG
Kenya has marked the e-commerce segment as a key growth area and a priority in the negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
In the negotiation objectives unveiled last week, the government eyes support from the superpower to help strengthen e-commerce and digital platforms for trade to enhance growth.
“We seek to secure commitment to allow gradual regulations at facilitation of digital trade in goods and services and cross-border data flow in line with the country’s development agenda, in particular contribution of this trade to economic development,” Ministry of Trade said it its objectives.
E-commerce penetration in Kenya remains low despite a growth in the number of developers in the country, with Economic Survey 2020 showing that only 25.4 percent of industries in 2019 engaged in e-commerce for transactions, sales promotion and lowering their operational costs.