Sama, a leader in data annotation solutions for AI models, welcomes the Kenyan Government’s commitment to address barriers in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector. Eng John Tanui, the Principal Secretary of Information Communications Technology (ICT) and Digital Economy, assured investors that the government is strategically working to maintain Kenya’s competitiveness as an ideal destination for ICT-based export-led labor services.
To facilitate technology firms’ investments in Kenya, the government plans to establish over 1450 digital hubs linked by a robust fiber optic infrastructure. This initiative aims to create more than one million jobs in the ICT sector and bolster ongoing capacity-building efforts.
Recent legal events have had a chilling effect on the BPO sector’s growth. Sama Global CEO Wendy Gonzalez expressed concerns that Kenya could lose over 2,500 jobs earmarked for Kenyan youth, impacting the growth of the entire BPO sector. Eng Tanui affirmed the government’s dedication to secure these jobs by addressing legal and related barriers.
Sama, which currently employs over 3,500 Kenyans, plans to increase this number by 2,500 next year. The Government’s assurance to address operating challenges was welcomed by Sama CEO Ms. Gonzalez and Sama VP of Global Delivery, Annepeace Alwala, during their tour of the Nairobi operating hub.
The global BPO market is valued at over US$ 262 Billion, with African countries emerging as significant growth frontiers. BPO plays a crucial role in developing AI systems for sectors like Automotive, Retail, Agriculture, and Food technology. Sama has been in Kenya for 15 years, providing quality formal jobs and AI solutions for various industries.
Recently, Sama unveiled Platform 2.0, a re-engineered computer vision platform to reduce ML algorithm failures. The new platform offers greater transparency for clients and delivers annotated data and insights three times faster, achieving a 99% client acceptance rate for AI training data through SamaAssure.