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Nearly three in four Kenyan organisations (73%) are still at an early or developing stage of technology workforce maturity, even though 72% call digital transformation a top strategic priority, according to the Kenya Technology Workforce Capability Report 2026 by tech training company Moringa, Capital FM reported on October 30, 2026. The findings are based on interviews with 166 senior executives across eight sectors.
Moringa sells tech training, so it has an interest in the conclusions. The numbers are its own survey results and have not been independently verified.
Key findings
| Finding | Share of organisations |
|---|---|
| At early or developing tech workforce maturity | 73% |
| Rank digital transformation as a top priority | 72% |
| Expect stagnant skills to slow growth or hurt competitiveness | 9 in 10 |
| Describe that risk as major or existential | More than a third |
| CEO is the main decision-maker on tech skills investment | 45% |
| HR is the main influence | 11% |
| Say AI engineering is the hardest capability to build | 48% (62% in firms with 2,000+ staff) |
| Use online learning platforms for upskilling | 77% |
| Rate their upskilling programmes “very effective” | 16% |
Training money is not buying readiness
The clearest gap is between spending and results. Most firms use online courses, but only about one in six think their training works very well. Executives blamed scheduling conflicts, theory-heavy content, too little practical application and poor links to real business needs.
Moringa chief executive Nikki Germany said tech capability should be treated as a business performance issue, not an HR task. “Technology workforce capability cannot be delegated to HR and revisited during the annual training budget cycle,” she said.
AI is the hardest skill to hire or build
Almost half of respondents named AI engineering as the most difficult capability to develop, rising to 62% at large employers. The finding comes as institutions from banks to the Central Bank of Kenya, which has identified nearly 300 AI use cases, push AI deeper into operations.
Graduate outcomes study
A separate Moringa study tracking 350 of its alumni reported that:
- Nearly eight in ten applied their skills immediately or within six months.
- Seven in ten of those who found opportunities did so before graduating or within six months, most often through internships.
- The share earning at least KSh100,000 a month rose from 4.3% before training to 24.6% at the time of the study.
- 71.4% of employers rated the graduates above average against other entry-level hires.
- 63.4% of employers said communication skills needed work, and 56.3% of graduates said weak professional networks held them back.
What it means for Kenyan businesses
- Tie training to real work. Pair courses with on-the-job projects and measure whether output improves, instead of counting course completions.
- Put skills on the leadership agenda. If tech capability affects growth, it belongs in strategy and budget discussions, not only in HR plans.
- Use internships as a pipeline. The study suggests internships are the main entry point for new tech talent.
- Do not ignore soft skills. Employers still flag communication as a weakness among technical hires.
For job seekers, the findings point to demand for practical, demonstrable skills, especially in AI, data and software engineering, backed by internships and a strong professional network.
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