Enhancing Data Sharing and Use for Scalable AI Solutions in Kenya

Project Summary:

This grant seeks to strengthen the Government of Kenya's capacity to share and use public data as a foundation for scalable, impactful AI solutions. The project targets the environment and urban planning sectors and is structured around a "funnel approach" — moving from broad diagnostic work on data accessibility, to assessing AI readiness of specific datasets, and ultimately to implementing a small-scale AI pilot.

It addresses a core bottleneck in Kenya's digital ecosystem: fragmented, siloed public data that limits the government's ability to leverage AI for service delivery. By building interoperability infrastructure and demonstrating a working AI pilot, the project aims to create a replicable model for other sectors and countries.

It is allocated across three sequenced activities:

• Data Sharing Diagnostic that will map institutional and technical gaps in public data sharing and produce an implementation roadmap for a whole-of-government data-sharing platform.
• AI Data Readiness and Feasibility Assessment, which will identify two to three priority AI use cases in the environment and urban sectors, evaluate the readiness of relevant datasets, and incorporate lessons from a study tour to Korea.
• Small-Scale AI Pilot Implementation and Capacity Building, including a "plug and play" pilot that interlinks datasets across agencies and at least four training workshops to build in-country expertise.

This grant is aligned as follows:

• KDEAP (P170941, US$390mln) supports whole-of-government digitalization enablers (interoperability, data sharing, e-service delivery platforms).  
• Kenya Watershed Services Improvement Project (P509738, US$200mln) includes developing an integrated data-sharing and watershed monitoring system. 
• Kenya Second Urban Support Program (P177048, US$300mln) aims to improve urban data sharing, and planning systems to enhance the delivery and resilience of urban infrastructure and services.