Konza’s Digital Media City bags Sh37 billion funding from Korea
President William Ruto holds talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol of Korea on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Summit at the Korea International Exhibition Centre in Goyang on the outskirts of the capital Seoul.
Plans to set up a creatives’ hub at the Konza Technopolis have been boosted after Kenya inked a $284.1 million (Sh37.1 billion) financing deal to fast-track its construction.
Dubbed the Konza Digital Media City (DMC), the project is poised to offer an expansion platform to the country’s emerging creative sector, as well as to unlock the opportunities.
“We are happy to note that this financing agreement will lead to the realisation of our dream to develop Africa’s Silicon Savannah and secure its place in the fast-evolving creative sector,” stated ICT principal Secretary John Tanui during the signing ceremony.
“The creative sector in the digital era presents a great opportunity for Kenyan creatives to scale their talent and creative skills to the world map.”
To be established on a 160-acre parcel of land, the DMC is envisioned to be a top-tier digital media hub that will encompass critical infrastructure and the programmes needed to unlock unexplored opportunities within the creative sector and in the digital economy.
The facility will host, among others, multi-media training institutes, digital media enterprises, postproduction studios (gaming and animation), as well as music production among other digital media content.
It is also poised to offer professional-level skilling and commercial services in gaming, animation, filming, photography, entertainment, and software development.
With a growing youthful population, Kenya is eyeing the creative and digital economy for job openings, with the DMC’s estimated potential being an average of 5,000 new jobs annually.
