Safaricom PLC has officially kicked off the fourth edition of its flagship engineering summit, Decode 4.0, at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, bringing together a cross-section of Kenya’s and the global tech ecosystem for three days of innovation, collaboration, and forward-looking dialogue.
Held under the theme “Made of Kenya,” this year’s summit marks a significant milestone as Safaricom celebrates 25 years of operations.
The event reflects both the company’s evolution from a telecommunications provider to a technology-driven organization, and its growing ambition to shape Kenya’s digital future.
Launched in 2022, Decode was conceived as an open platform to demystify Safaricom’s engineering ecosystem while creating meaningful opportunities for developers, startups, and technology partners to engage with real-world solutions. Over time, it has grown into a key industry convening point—bringing together innovators, policymakers, and private sector leaders to co-create the future of Kenya’s digital economy.
Now in its fourth edition, Decode has evolved beyond a conference into a movement driving knowledge-sharing, experimentation, and scalable innovation.
Decode 4.0 is structured around critical sectors shaping Kenya’s next phase of economic transformation, including:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Exploring intelligent systems and their application across industries
- Fintech: Building on Kenya’s global leadership in mobile money and financial innovation
- Creative Tech & Gaming: Unlocking new digital economies driven by content and youth innovation
- Ecosystem Building: Strengthening partnerships that enable innovation at scale
Participants are engaging in Builder Labs, Code Labs, mentorship programmes, and expert-led sessions, all designed to move beyond theory into practical, deployable solutions.
This year’s summit has attracted a diverse group of stakeholders, highlighting the collaborative nature of Kenya’s tech ecosystem. Key partners include global technology leaders such as Microsoft, Google, Dell Technologies, and Huawei, alongside local developers, startups, creators, and industry experts.
The presence of these partners underscores the growing importance of public-private collaboration in accelerating digital transformation and positioning Kenya as a regional technology hub.
In a notable shift, Decode 4.0 is extending its reach beyond the capital through regional Decode Cafés, aimed at decentralizing access to knowledge and innovation. This move is expected to bring more young developers and entrepreneurs into the conversation, particularly from underserved regions.
Safaricom’s Group Chief Technology and Information Officer, James Maitai, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the company’s role in shaping what it calls the “Age of Intelligent Systems.”
He noted that Decode has grown from a simple idea into a platform where industry players can collectively define the future of digital innovation—not just in Kenya, but across Africa.
As Safaricom works toward its ambition of becoming Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030, Decode 4.0 serves as both a reflection of progress and a signal of intent.
With its focus on locally built, scalable solutions, the summit reinforces a broader message:
Kenya is not just consuming technology—it is building it.
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