Kenya will host AI Everything Kenya x GITEX Kenya in Nairobi from May 19-21, marking the global GITEX brand’s entry into East Africa and what organizers describe as the region’s largest technology and startup event.
The event is organized by KAOUN International, the global organizer of GITEX, in partnership with the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology of the Republic of Kenya and dx⁵, a pan-African technology organization. It will bring together policymakers, technologists, academia, the private sector, civil society and development partners across a one-day global summit and two-day exhibition showcase, with programming focused on AI, agritech, cloud computing, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things and sustainability.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, William Kabogo Gitau, welcomed the announcement, describing it as both a recognition of Kenya’s achievements and a call to action. “Kenya is positioning itself at the heart of Africa’s digital transformation, where artificial intelligence is not just a tool for innovation, but a force for economic inclusion, public service reform, and sustainable development,” he said.
AI is projected to contribute $2.4 billion to Kenya’s gross domestic product by 2030 and generate more than 300,000 new jobs by 2028, according to figures cited by organizers.
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Singoei said hosting the event in the same year as the 2026 Global Data Festival reinforces Kenya’s ambition to position Nairobi as a multilateral hub for digital cooperation and innovation. He said the initiative is anchored in Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2025, which for the first time elevated technology diplomacy alongside Kenya’s traditional foreign policy pillars.
Ambassador Philip Thigo, Special Envoy on Technology, said the event reflects Kenya’s commitment to harnessing AI to solve local challenges while shaping global norms. “This is a platform to showcase Kenya’s and Africa’s ingenuity — our capacity not only to adopt but to design, build, and export transformative technologies that reflect our values, realities, and ambitions,” he said.
Harry Hare, chairman and co-founder of dx⁵, described the event as a catalyst for Africa’s digital transformation, saying it would foster collaboration and investment across the continent while affirming Kenya’s standing as a destination for major global technology gatherings.
GITEX currently stages events in eight countries across five regions including Germany, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. The Kenya edition marks the brand’s 45th year of international engagement.
Further news and updates surrounding the event will follow in due course. For more information on AI EVERYTHING KENYA x GITEX KENYA, please visit aieverythingkenya.com.
