Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has explained why the 2026/27 SportPesa League was postponed, attributing the delay to conflicting High Court orders over the composition of the 18-team competition and a promotion-relegation dispute.In a statement released on Monday, September 21 and obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, FKF President Hussein Mohammed said the federation took office with a transformative vision to build a sustainable, professional and holistic football system in Kenya.FKF said it had initially received directions from the High Court in Murang’a on August 28 that allowed preparations for the new season to proceed, with the federation and clubs later agreeing on September 19 as the revised kickoff date after an earlier August 31 start was postponed.However, on September 18, the Murang’a High Court issued an order restraining FKF from starting the league until a promotion and relegation playoff involving Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United was conducted and determined.“The Murang’a order barred the league from starting without the playoff between Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United, while the Kiambu order required Mombasa United to be included as the 18th club without one. Following either order could expose the federation and other stakeholders to legal consequences,” FKF said.The dispute stems from the promotion and relegation positions of Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United and disagreements over which FKF regulations should govern the process. Mombasa United, a National Super League side, has been seeking a place in the top flight, while Kariobangi Sharks is involved in the dispute over the position and whether a playoff is required. “The High Court in Murang’a directed that the league could not commence until the playoff between Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United was conducted, while the High Court in Kiambu directed FKF to include Mombasa United as the 18th club without a playoff. Proceeding under either directive without resolving the other would expose the federation, clubs, sponsors, players and broadcasters to legal and commercial risks,” FKF said.“Taken together, these contradictory orders have created an impossible legal situation,” FKF said, adding that proceeding under either position could expose officials, clubs, sponsors, players and broadcasters to legal and commercial risks.Regardless, the federation said its agenda focuses on youth development, grassroots football, coaching, refereeing and infrastructure. FKF cited the Junior Starlets’ FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualification, training more than 1,000 grassroots scouts and plans for a technical centre in Machakos.The federation also highlighted the Ksh1.12 billion title sponsorship and another deal as key to strengthening Kenyan football. FKF said Ksh129.1 million would go directly to the 18 clubs, with each receiving Ksh7.1 million, while Ksh20 million would form the league’s prize pool.The postponement comes as Kenya prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with Uganda and Tanzania, with Tusker captain Abud Omar warning that the lack of regular competitive matches could affect players' fitness and sharpness ahead of continental and international assignments. The federation called for football-related disputes to be resolved through internal football mechanisms, warning that third-party interference has previously resulted in sanctions against Kenya. FKF said its priority remains resolving the legal impasse and starting the league while protecting the reforms, commercial partnerships and wider transformation agenda it has set for Kenyan football.
Read briefing NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 21 – Police on Monday dispersed activists who staged a demonstration in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) demanding the release of detained Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye.Several protesters were arrested as officers moved to break up the demonstration, with images showing police detaining activists in the city centre.Among those arrested were activists Julius Kamau and Collins Otieno, according to reports from the demonstration.The protesters were demanding answers from the government over Besigye’s disappearance from Nairobi in November 2024 and his subsequent transfer to Uganda.They also called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his movement from Kenya to Uganda, including whether Kenyan security officers were involved.The activists had planned to march to the President’s Office along Harambee Avenue to present their concerns to the government.The protest came days after activists announced plans to take to the streets over what they described as the unexplained transfer of Besigye from Kenyan soil.Besigye, a veteran Ugandan opposition politician and four-time presidential candidate, was reported to have disappeared in Nairobi in November 2024 before resurfacing in Uganda several days later.He was initially arraigned before a military court and later faced proceedings before a civilian court, where he and co-accused persons face treason-related charges.The circumstances surrounding his transfer from Kenya have remained a subject of controversy, with activists demanding an independent inquiry.The case has also featured allegations during proceedings in Uganda concerning events in Nairobi. A prosecution witness alleged that Kenyan police had prepared an apartment and planted firearms and suspected fake currency as part of an intelligence operation. The allegations are part of testimony in the case and have not been established as court findings.The protesters said their demands extend beyond Besigye’s case, arguing that the circumstances surrounding his transfer raise broader questions about the protection of individuals and respect for legal processes within the East African Community.The demonstrations come amid heightened scrutiny of police handling of protests in Nairobi. Last week, the High Court found Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja in contempt over the erection of roadblocks during June 25 commemorations after police failed to issue a required public advisory. Kanja was ordered to appear in court on September 22 for mitigation and sentencing.
Read briefing The High Court in Kibra has denied bail to eight minors charged in connection with the Untumishi Girls tragedy, in which a fire killed 16 girls on May 28.Justice Diana Kavedza dismissed the bail applications filed on behalf of the eight suspects, who are set to remain in custody as the case proceeds.“Detention is not imposed as punishment, but as a necessary measure to protect the subjects, victims, and witnesses and to preserve the integrity of the trial. Having considered the totality of the evidence in this case, the application for bail is hereby dismissed,” Justice Kavedza stated.The court considered pre-bail reports, administrative and investigative authorities’ views, and continuing tensions within the affected community before reaching its decision on the minors.Kavedza noted that the children had reportedly faced bullying, assault, and discrimination at the remand home after their identities became known to others.Some of the minors had also reportedly experienced online harassment after accessing mobile phones, raising concerns about their safety if released into the hostile environment.The judge said the court was satisfied the risks were substantial, finding that immediate release could expose the minors to an appreciable risk of harm.Justice Kamae also highlighted psychological distress, anxiety, peer conflict, alleged bullying, and physical abuse, with the court ordering continued access to qualified counsellors and psychologists."Children in conflict with the law retain their rights as children notwithstanding the severity of the charges. The legal framework mandates the protection of their welfare, dignity, education, psychological development, and effective participation in proceedings," stated Kamae.The minors are also to receive support for education and trial preparation, including guidance on court roles, confidentiality, judicial directives, and meaningful participation throughout proceedings."To ensure the subject's ongoing development as adolescents is not hindered, the court shall also issue directions facilitating the continuation of their education," added Kamae.To safeguard them during remand, the court directed that seven of them be transferred to Kamae Girls Borstal Institution within Kamiti Prison, where their safety and welfare will remain central, with one of them to be transferred to Kamaya Boys Home Institution for security.16 students tragically died, and 79 were injured after a fire broke out around midnight on May 28, in a dormitory housing about 220 learners at Utumishi Girls' Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, Kenya.CCTV footage revealed the fire started on the first floor, trapping sleeping students; others were hurt jumping from the upper floor. Forensic and Ministry of Education probes found safety breaches: overcrowding and a locked exit door blocking evacuation.
Read briefing The 2026 Africa Breakfast Conversations is set to take place on Friday, September 25, at the World Trade Centre in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The invitation-only gathering convened by BHM and Allison Worldwide brings together leaders from business, technology, finance, government, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, multilateral institutions and regulatory bodies.This year’s conversation themed Africa’s Next Chapter: Trade, Partnership, Investment & Global Influence, will focus on three broad questions:Meanwhile, the wider agenda will touch on trade expansion, investment capital flows, infrastructure, technology and innovation, and Africa’s evolving role in the global economy. It seeks to capture and deepen the burgeoning economic and investment ties between North America and East Africa.Ayẹni Adékúnlé, Founder & CEO of BHM Holdings, captures the rationale behind the conversation this way. “The Africa Breakfast Conversations reflects Africa’s transition from potential to performance.” He adds that, as US-Africa commercial relations enter a pivotal period, the platform is intended to help decisionmakers move beyond opportunity narratives toward actionable partnerships that can drive mutual prosperity and sustainable growth.Launched in 2024 by BHM and Allison, it is a platform for meaningful dialogue between African innovators, global investors and development leaders during UNGA. The inaugural edition brought together influential voices around Africa’s global role and opportunities.The second edition, held during UNGA80 in 2025 in partnership with The King’s Trust expanded the conversation around African-led innovation and sustainable development. It featured discussions around investment, youth empowerment, technology, media, AI, finance and the creative economy, with speakers including Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Iyin Aboyeji, DJ Cuppy and other African and global leaders. The 2026 edition’s expected outcome is to move beyond dialogue towards connections that can lead to investment, stronger cross-border partnerships and commercial collaboration. The organisers also aim to strengthen Africa’s position in global economic conversations and help translate its growing visibility and influence into tangible economic value.The 2026 edition places special emphasis on Kenya’s evolving position as a regional financial, logistics, and technology gateway. As a premier destination for venture capital in Africa and a lead partner in trade negotiations with Washington, Kenya serves as a vital anchor for international commerce in Sub-Saharan Africa.Ayẹni Adékúnlé, CEO of BHM Holdings said “Africa is no longer just a future prospect; it is a vital, present-day commercial partner. From Nairobi’s Silicon Savannah to global financial hubs, African enterprises are building scalable solutions. This forum brings together the investors, founders, and policymakers responsible for converting continental momentum into long-term enterprise value.”Kenya provides an important lens for this year’s conversation because of its position across several of these areas, particularly technology and innovation, investment, regional commerce and its growing engagement with global markets. The 2026 announcement specifically highlights Kenya’s strategic role in the wider US-Africa commercial conversation, making its experience relevant to the broader questions around how African economies can build stronger international partnerships and translate opportunity into sustainable growth.“For the past few years, we have provided a platform during UNGA for decisionmakers from Africa, the US, and global markets to align around high-impact opportunities,” said Claudine Moore, Managing Director, Africa at Allison. “As East Africa’s innovation powerhouse, Kenya demonstrates how technology, renewable energy, and entrepreneurship can create sustainable commercial links across the Atlantic.”The Africa Breakfast Conversations has established itself as an exclusive forum during UNGA week. Past participants include leadership from Access Holdings, Future Africa, MTN Group, Goldman Sachs, Citi Bank, NBA Africa, UBA, and The King’s Trust. The event directly mirrors UNGA81’s core agenda, Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All, by placing market-driven solutions, job creation, and African technology leadership at the center of global trade discussions.
Read briefing NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 21 — Former Chief Justice and 2027 presidential hopeful David Maraga says Kenyans living in the United States have called for the scrapping of a national tallying centre ahead of the 2027 General Election.Maraga said the concerns emerged during two town hall meetings he held with Kenyans in the diaspora in Baltimore, Maryland, and Jersey City, New Jersey, on September 19 and 20.According to Maraga, participants raised concerns over healthcare, education, corruption and governance, while also highlighting the financial burden of supporting families in Kenya through remittances.“They were unanimous in saying ‘No’ to a national tallying centre,” Maraga said in a statement posted on Monday.The former Chief Justice said young Kenyans at the meetings also raised concerns about foreign influence in Kenya, including what they described as manipulation behind legislation such as the Cyber Crimes Bill.He said the participants also expressed concern over foreign land deals across Africa.Maraga said he briefed the diaspora communities on the People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms, which he co-leads, and its five proposed mandatory reforms ahead of the 2027 polls.The proposals include the removal of a national tallying centre, an audit and strengthening of the integrity of the voters’ register, tougher penalties for electoral offences, election technology that is pre-tested and independently scrutinised, and stronger integrity safeguards for IEBC personnel and administrative processes.The coalition has previously called for the abolition of the national presidential tallying centre at Bomas of Kenya, arguing that presidential results declared at polling stations and constituency level should not be retallied or altered at a central venue.The coalition’s demands have, however, drawn criticism from government officials, with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale defending the national tallying process and questioning how results from thousands of polling stations would be aggregated without a national process.Maraga said his manifesto would prioritise education, healthcare, agriculture and youth unemployment.He told the diaspora audience that his experience as Chief Justice demonstrated his willingness to make decisive decisions and said he would make the fight against corruption a central priority of his administration.The former Chief Justice has previously identified corruption as a key issue in his 2027 agenda and pledged to implement existing anti-corruption laws while digitising government procurement and other government processes.On foreign policy, Maraga said his proposed administration would adopt what he described as an “Africaward looking” approach.He said Kenya would seek to move beyond approaches focused primarily on East, West or Gulf relations and instead pursue a broader pan-African strategy on economic and security matters.According to Maraga, the approach would seek to strengthen African countries’ collective negotiating position on the global stage.The engagements in the United States come as Maraga continues to campaign for electoral reforms ahead of the August 2027 General Election. He has recently held discussions with US lawmakers, civil society organisations and think tanks on the People’s Coalition’s electoral reform agenda.
Read briefing Kenya’s ride-hailing market has become an important part of the country’s wider gig economy, with digital transport platforms now playing a significant role in how people move around Nairobi and other urban centres.The sector, however, has also been marked by recurring tensions between ride-hailing platforms and drivers over fares, commissions, fuel costs and working conditions. Driver strikes and protests have periodically highlighted the challenges of maintaining a sustainable model for platforms, fleet operators and drivers alike. It is against this backdrop that Yango Group, which operates across ride-hailing, public transport and delivery services, is evaluating its formal entry into the Kenyan market.Rather than adopting the conventional model used by many established ride-hailing platforms, Yango is considering an approach that would place local small and medium-sized fleet businesses between the technology platform and individual drivers.“When we think about entering a market like Kenya, we avoid the traditional, discount-driven race to the bottom that has characterized the sector for years,” stated Shashi Shekhar Singh, Director of Operations for Yango Ride (Africa & Asia), during his address at the Tech Safari Summit 2026 in Nairobi. “Instead, our focus is on introducing a distinct Business-to-Business operational framework built entirely around empowering local Small and Medium Enterprise fleet partnerships.”Under the conventional ride-hailing structure, individual drivers typically operate as independent contractors and are responsible for costs such as vehicle financing, maintenance and fuel. Yango’s proposed model would instead work with fleet operators that manage groups of drivers while the technology platform provides the underlying ride-hailing infrastructure. According to Singh, Yango’s wider international network includes more than 200 local fleet partners, with individual partners managing teams of roughly 10 to 12 people.“This model addresses a critical bottleneck in the Kenyan transport sector: credit access. While an individual driver with an inconsistent digital transaction record struggles to secure standard bank financing, an established corporate fleet partner can negotiate asset-backed loans,” said Shashi.The model would, however, introduce another layer into the relationship between the platform and driver. A ride’s revenue would need to account for the technology platform as well as the fleet operator and driver, potentially creating a different set of cost and margin considerations from those faced by drivers working directly with ride-hailing platforms. The viability of such a structure will also depend on the financial position of the local SMEs involved. Fleet operators would have to contend with vehicle financing, maintenance, taxes, fuel and other operating costs while ensuring that drivers remain adequately compensated.Pricing presents another consideration in a market where commuters remain sensitive to the cost of transport. Data cited in the article from a 2026 TIFA Research industry survey indicates that 60 percent of Nairobi ride-hailing users would consider switching to traditional matatus or other cheaper alternatives if ride-hailing fares increased significantly. For Yango and its potential fleet partners, this creates a relatively narrow space in which to position the service. Higher fares could make it difficult to attract price-conscious customers, while lower fares could leave less room for fleet operators and drivers to cover their costs.Yango’s proposed approach therefore appears to place greater emphasis on differentiation than on competing primarily through price. The company has pointed to newer vehicles, driver training and security features as elements of the service it intends to offer. That positioning would depend on whether there is sufficient demand among Kenyan customers for a ride-hailing service that prioritises consistency and other service attributes over the lowest available fare.Yango is also looking beyond ride-hailing as part of its wider strategy in Kenya. The company has invested in BuuPass, a Kenyan digital platform focused on intercity transport, ticketing and travel technology. Its broader portfolio also includes logistics, parcel delivery and B2B software. For the company, these businesses could provide additional opportunities for local partners beyond individual passenger trips, potentially reducing their dependence on daily ride-hailing demand.The proposed market entry will also take place within a changing regulatory environment.Kenya’s ride-hailing industry has faced continued debate over platform commissions, driver earnings and the regulation of gig work. The High Court’s suspension of the 18 percent commission cap has altered the operating environment for platforms, while driver representatives have continued to push for greater regulation of fares and driver earnings. Yango says its approach is informed by its operations across more than 30 countries in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. However, applying the model in Kenya would require adapting it to local market and regulatory conditions.
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Read briefing Stablecoin settlement platform Minisend is strengthening its presence in Kenya, positioning the country as an important market for its next phase of growth as it develops infrastructure designed to make stablecoins easier to use for everyday payments, business transactions and cross-border settlement. As part of its growing focus on the Kenyan market, Minisend has also been announced as the Official Payment Partner of Africa Blockchain Festival 2026, taking place from October 15 to 17 at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi. The partnership will put Minisend at the center of one of the continent’s major conversations around blockchain-powered financial infrastructure, digital payments and the increasing role stablecoins could play in connecting African consumers and businesses to the global digital economy. Minisend is building a cross-chain settlement layer that allows users and businesses to receive stablecoins such as USDC and USDT across supported blockchain networks and move those funds into familiar local financial channels. The proposition is simple: someone receiving stablecoins should not have to navigate multiple blockchain networks, bridges, exchanges and wallets before being able to use their money. Minisend is developing infrastructure intended to handle much of that complexity in the background while enabling users to settle their digital assets into local payment sys...
Read briefing Kenya will continue to expand its investment in artificial intelligence literacy initiatives to ensure the country becomes a builder, innovator and creator of AI solutions as opposed to being a consumer of the technology. Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Isaboke says the decision is expected to help the country enjoy the dividends brought about by AI, which continues to disrupt many sectors of the economy. “We must equip our people to capture the productivity gains created by AI while providing targeted support to workers and occupations that may experience greater disruption,” said Isaboke during a workshop on digital and AI dividend in Nairobi. Isaboke said Kenya is now focusing on how to prepare people and institutions for an economy where AI has become an increasingly important tool for productivity and innovation. According to the World Bank approximately 87% of Kenyan workers are currently in occupations with relatively low direct exposure to AI capabilities, while about 9% are in highly exposed occupations where AI is more likely to complement their work. Additionally, an estimated 4% of the workforce are in highly exposed occupations facing greater displacement risk. This evidence He called for sustained investment in people to expand AI literacy among citizens, public servants, teachers, MSMEs mand informal workers, while integrating applied AI skills into s...
Read briefing The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has intercepted a consignment worth KSh7.2 million following a road crash along the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway.The DCI confirmed the incident on September 21, after the consignment was discovered inside a badly damaged Mazda CX-5 that had crashed between Shinners Boys and the Mbaruk area.The vehicle was reportedly travelling towards Nairobi from Nakuru when the driver attempted to overtake another vehicle.According to the DCI, the manoeuvre went wrong, causing the driver to lose control before the SUV collided with an oncoming Scania trailer.The impact sent the Mazda spinning and left its front section extensively damaged, while the driver abandoned the wreckage and fled.Police officers from Nakuru Central Police Station arrived at the scene and began processing the wrecked SUV following the crash.Their search coincidentally uncovered six sacks containing a consignment of illicit substances, turning what initially appeared to be a routine highway accident into a major narcotics recovery.The recovered consignment weighed 241.5 kilograms, with detectives estimating its street value at approximately Ksh7,245,000.The narcotics were secured as exhibits, while detectives from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) in Nakuru County took over the investigation.Meanwhile, detectives launched a manhunt for the driver, who remained at large after fleeing the scene before officers could arrest him.This incident adds to the growing list of interceptions on the very same route. On April 30, detectives intercepted a vehicle travelling from Busia to Nairobi along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, recovering several bales of cannabis sativa and arresting the driver during the operation.One month later, anti-narcotics detectives intercepted a Toyota Noah and Toyota Fielder at Karai, Naivasha, recovering 50 kilograms of cannabis in 10 bales and arresting three suspects, including a GSU officer.
Read briefing Kenyan music stars Nadia Mukami and Arrow Bwoy are putting their recent breakup drama aside to release a new collaborative single, “Yumba,” this Friday. The former couple jointly announced the project on Instagram on Monday, September 21, 2026, directing fans to pre-save the upcoming track ahead of its official release. The music news follows a […]
Read briefing Two women and a man have been arrested in connection with one of a series of killings in South Africa which sparked outcry over violence against women in the country.
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Read briefing The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has set October 31 deadline for the application for the renewal of licences covering several customs-related businesses for 2027.The three separate notices, as seen by Kenyans.co.ke, affect bonded warehouses, Manufacture Under Bond facilities, transit godowns, licensed customs agents, and transit shed operators whose licences expire on December 31, 2026.“Applications for Renewals will be submitted through the Customs iCMS system on or before 31st October, 2026,” KRA stated.For bonded warehouses, MUB facilities, and transit godowns, operators must submit a valid 2026 licence, a CB6 security bond, and a current company CR12.They must also provide valid title or lease documents, company and directors’ Tax Compliance Certificates, 2025 audited accounts and a completed C18 form.On the other front, customs agents must apply through the iCMS platform using form C20, accompanied by their 2026 CR12 or CR13 and company Tax Compliance Certificate.They must also submit a bond and debt clearance, their previous C21 licence and a KIFWA Clearance Certificate for the year of application.Likewise, transit shed operators seeking 2027 to 2029 licenses must provide their 2024 to 2026 licenses, security bond, company registration certificate, and Gazette Notice.They must also submit title or lease documents, the current CR12, the company and directors’ Tax Compliance Certificates, the 2025 audited accounts, and the completed C18.Successful transit shed applicants will pay a license fee equivalent to Ksh1.3 million (USD10,000), with applications submitted through the Customs iCMS system.Also required are the Gazette Notice to operate, the current CR12, company and directors' tax compliance certificates, the 2025 audited accounts, and a signed, stamped Form C18 from www.kra.go.ke. KRA says renewal for bonded warehouses, Manufacture under Bond (MUB) Facilities, and transit godowns will depend on applicants having no outstanding transactions or issues with any department.The authority also stated that submission of the required documents does not guarantee renewal, as applicants will undergo further vetting before licenses are issued.Thus, this directive is set to affect more than 59,000 active domestic importers operating nationwide, ranging from large industrial conglomerates and regional distributors to small-scale businesses serving retail markets.These importers facilitate cross-border trade through over 2.09 million recorded shipments, with China remaining the leading source, followed by suppliers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
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Read briefing For a brief stretch in mid-September, the world’s most powerful AI executives appeared to agree on something.Within days of one another, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic; Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind; Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; and Elon Musk, CEO of xAI, said similar things: the technology they are building has become powerful enough that it needs stricter rules and oversight.Amodei put the urgency in stark terms, warning that in the several years Congress could take to act, AI could go from an amusing toy to a “full country of geniuses.”Altman has made a similar case since at least February, when he told the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi that the world urgently needs to regulate the rapidly evolving technology. He also proposed an international coordinating body similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency.For a moment, it looked like a turning point. It is closer to a familiar pattern. The gap between what AI leaders say in public and what their companies do in state legislatures and courtrooms is where the real story lies.The apparent unity among AI CEOs does not last long when the details are examined. Even companies that agree regulation is necessary disagree sharply over what that regulation should look like.OpenAI wants a single federal law that would override the growing patchwork of state rules. Anthropic takes a different position on federal preemption, favouring state AI laws unless Congress passes rules that are at least as strong. It sees federal preemption as a floor to build on, rather than a ceiling that limits states.Google has taken a third position. Kent Walker, the company’s president of global affairs, argues that the choice is not simply between too much regulation and no regulation.Instead, Google has proposed a two-track approach built around an independent, federally overseen and industry-backed body. The body would set safety standards and verify voluntary audits of frontier AI models.So the headline agreement that AI needs rules quickly becomes a dispute over federal versus state authority, mandatory versus voluntary compliance, and who should write the standards in the first place.The bigger contradiction is between what AI companies say on stage and what they are funding behind the scenes.AI has become one of the fastest-growing lobbying categories in Washington. More than 850 companies now disclose AI-related lobbying, up from fewer than 250 in 2023. Combined industry spending is on track to exceed $900 million in 2026.Much of that spending is focused on opposing state-level rules that could fill the gap left by federal inaction.In New York, an AI industry political action committee called Leading the Future, backed by a $100 million fund from Greg Brockman, OpenAI president and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, released an attack ad against the state assemblyman who sponsored a bill requiring large AI companies to publish their safety and risk protocols.Days later, Kathy Hochul, New York Governor, moved to weaken the bill, just hours before President Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling state AI laws of this kind.Analysts tracking the pattern have raised questions about what this means. One assessment put it plainly: when people who profit from a technology say it is dangerous and ask for regulation, the likely outcome is regulation that they can live with.The same analysis notes that California’s SB 53, the one state AI bill that became binding law, passed when the industry was divided over it rather than united for or against it.That suggests an important pattern: a narrow bill facing a divided industry has a better chance of becoming law than a broad bill that receives unanimous industry support.While AI CEOs were calling for stronger guardrails, the US federal government was working to challenge rules already introduced at the state level.President Trump’s executive order established an AI Litigation Task Force within the Department of Justice. The task force was directed to challenge state AI laws in federal court on grounds that they could unconstitutionally burden interstate commerce or otherwise violate federal law.The order also directed the Federal Trade Commission to classify state-mandated bias mitigation as a per se deceptive trade practice.Washington has taken this position beyond US borders. At a G20 innovation ministerial in North Carolina, the United States pushed other governments to loosen AI restrictions.A technology adviser to President Trump called on countries to embrace the so-called Carolina Principles, which argue against regulations that target specific technologies.That position puts Washington on a different path from Brussels, where the EU AI Act is now in force and takes a more rules-based approach.Even close allies have struggled to agree on a common position. At a recent global summit, the United States and the United Kingdom both declined to sign a declaration on inclusive and sustainable AI that was endorsed by 60 other countries.
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Read briefing Globally, citizens are increasingly ready for governments to embrace AI. Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of global citizens now use AI at least weekly. At the same time, satisfaction with government digital services has fallen by 13 percentage points over the past decade, creating an opportunity for governments to use AI to improve how citizens interact with public services.These are among the findings of the latest publication from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Citizens Are Open to Public AI Services. Governments Must Seize the Opportunity. This eighth biennial Digital Government Citizen Survey Report is based on BCG’s largest survey to date, capturing the views of citizens across 44 countries that represent 88 per cent of OECD countries and approximately 70 per cent of the world’s population. In Africa, the survey included respondents from Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa.BCG’s survey found that the Middle East and Africa remain the regions most comfortable with AI, despite a 9 per cent shift towards a more neutral view. Positive sentiment has dampened over the past two years, with the proportion of respondents viewing AI as a net positive declining from 59 per cent in 2024 to 50 per cent in 2026, though this remains well above the global average of 36 per cent. “Governments have a rare window to reshape how citizens experience public services,” said Miguel Carrasco, a BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner and co-author of the report. “People are increasingly open to AI. But they will judge success by whether services become simpler, faster, and easier to access.”The report highlights that citizens are increasingly comfortable with AI doing more than providing information – they want it to help deliver better public services. The survey finds growing support for AI to handle routine tasks, personalise services, and improve the citizen experience. As familiarity with AI grows, so does confidence: people with expert AI knowledge are almost seven times more likely to believe that its benefits outweigh its risks than those with no experience using the technology.In Kenya, net satisfaction with government digital services declined by five percentage points since 2024 to 64 per cent, although it remains just above the global average of 63 per cent, underscoring the progress that has been made in expanding access to and adoption of digital public services. At the same time, satisfaction is softening even as usage continues to climb. Digital government service adoption remains particularly strong at 49 per cent, well above the global average of 38 per cent and among the highest surveyed.Kenyan citizens rate government digital services almost on par with private-sector alternatives, with only a one-percentage-point gap between the two. This gap has changed little since 2024, suggesting that government has made limited progress in improving its relative performance. Only 12 per cent of users report experiencing no issues when interacting with digital government services, the lowest figure of any market surveyed and well below the global average of 30 per cent. This marks a modest four-percentage-point improvement since 2024.Kenyans are among the highest AI users with 87 per cent of respondents using AI weekly, well above the 64 per cent global average. AI proficiency is growing rapidly; 74 per cent of citizens identify themselves as AI proficient, eight-percentage-points higher than 2024 and well above the 63 per cent global average.Kenya is one of the most AI-optimistic markets with 57 per cent of respondents seeing AI’s benefits as greater than the risks.“Kenya stands out for the speed at which citizens have embraced both digital public services and AI,” said Takeshi Oikawa, Managing Director and Partner at BCG Nairobi. “However, increased adoption also raises expectations. Citizens are looking for services that are more reliable, easier to navigate and capable of delivering a consistently positive experience. The opportunity now is to translate strong digital engagement into stronger service outcomes.”While citizens increasingly support AI in government, they are not calling for fully autonomous public services. Nearly two-thirds of global respondents want human oversight for AI-enabled services, particularly when decisions become more complex or consequential.Citizens’ appetite for AI-driven public services also varies sharply by region. In the Middle East and Africa, nearly 8 in 10 respondents (78 per cent) say that they are comfortable with direct AI involvement in service delivery, the highest of any region surveyed. The region also exhibited the strongest support for AI agents, with one in three respondents describing themselves as comfortable with the use of autonomous AI agents for all sorts of tasks. Europe is the most cautious, as more than a third of citizens there prefer human-led services, with AI playing a supporting role only.Countries whose citizens believe that government AI adoption is progressing at about the right pace report significantly higher satisfaction with digital government services than countries whose citizens perceive them as lagging behind. At the same time, trust depends on visible accountability.
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Read briefing If the initial rollout of Nigeria’s National Digital Cloud Policy was about vision, the conversation now unfolding is about arithmetic and accountability. As the excitement from last week’s launch by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy settles, attention among Abuja’s tech and policy circles is turning to a harder question: can the government actually enforce what it has just promised?The numbers alone justify the scrutiny. The policy is targeting $250 million in private sector investment within its first year, rising to $750 million by year two, capital earmarked for expanding domestic data centres and building out the country’s AI compute capacity.That is an aggressive curve for a market still working through grid reliability issues and inconsistent regulatory follow-through on past digital initiatives.What distinguishes this policy from earlier digital sovereignty efforts is its restraint. Rather than imposing blanket data localisation, a stance that has previously strained relationships with international cloud providers, the framework introduces a four-tier, risk-based data classification system.Only the most sensitive categories of state and regulated data will be subject to strict residency requirements, while lower-risk data can move more freely through global infrastructure.The approach amounts to a pragmatic recalibration, an attempt to keep global hyperscalers engaged while still asserting control where it matters most, a balance many African markets have struggled to strike.The most commercially consequential piece of the framework is the planned National Digital Marketplace, due to go live in the policy’s second phase, between months six and twelve.For years, Nigerian cloud and infrastructure startups have watched large government IT contracts flow almost exclusively to international vendors and entrenched legacy contractors. This structural disadvantage made it difficult to build the track record needed to compete for bigger deals.The marketplace is designed to reverse that dynamic by consolidating the fragmented procurement budgets of individual federal ministries into a single, centralised demand pool. In effect, government becomes an anchor customer for local providers, giving them the kind of predictable, guaranteed revenue that investors typically want to see before committing capital.If it works as designed, this could be the policy’s most durable contribution, less about the headline investment figures and more about giving domestic infrastructure players a viable path to scale.For government agencies themselves, the mood is less celebratory. The policy’s Cloud First mandate requires Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies to prioritise cloud-based solutions for any new digital system, with existing on premises infrastructure moved onto a structured migration timeline.Two enforcement mechanisms give the mandate teeth. The first is centralised procurement: MDAs lose the ability to independently purchase IT hardware or software, and all public sector cloud procurement must now route through Galaxy Backbone, the state-owned infrastructure provider, with oversight from the Bureau of Public Procurement.The second is compliance auditing: NITDA has been assigned to run ongoing audits against the 24-month roadmap, and agencies or providers that miss deadlines or attempt to bypass the marketplace face sanctions, contract invalidation, and penalties enforced through a dedicated ministerial committee.This is a notable departure from the largely aspirational language of past digital transformation frameworks in Nigeria, which have often lacked binding consequences for non-compliance.On the investment side, the policy pairs its compliance demands with tangible incentives, including duty exemptions on data centre equipment and targeted support for clean energy adoption, aimed squarely at the power reliability problems that have long inflated the cost of running infrastructure in Nigeria.A unified digital certification platform, expected by October 2026, is meant to simplify what has historically been a fragmented approval process spanning NITDA, the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.Nothing in the policy’s architecture is being seriously disputed by the tech and investment community that gathered in Abuja last week. The tiered data model, the marketplace mechanism, and the fiscal incentives are all being described as well considered.The open question is delivery. Three execution risks stand out heading into Phase 1.The first is speed: whether the 12-month and 24-month funding targets are realistic given historical delays in Nigerian infrastructure rollouts.The second is transparency: whether the promised tax and duty incentives are administered predictably enough for investors to underwrite projects against them.The third is enforcement follow-through: whether NITDA’s audit function and the ministerial sanctions regime are actually applied when agencies or providers fall short, rather than becoming another underused compliance clause.
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