Kenya is intensifying its bid to become Africa’s next outsourcing powerhouse. Four of the country’s leading business process outsourcing (BPO) companies unite in a new private-sector coalition to accelerate job creation and attract global investment.
The newly formed Outsourcing Alliance of Kenya (OAK) brings together CCI Kenya, CloudFactory Kenya, Teleperformance Kenya, and Sama Kenya, with Genesis Analytics serving as executive secretariat. The alliance seeks to shape policy reforms and position Kenya to capture a larger share of the fast-expanding global outsourcing market.
Reform roadmap targets 100,000 new BPO jobs
The move comes as the global BPO market continues to expand amid rising demand for digital and IT-enabled services. Precedence Research forecasts it to hit $384 billion in 2026 and $906 billion in 2035.
OAK’s ambitious mission is to build a roadmap that could generate 100,000 outsourcing jobs while expanding membership to more than 20 paid companies by the second quarter of 2026.
To achieve this, the alliance is advocating targeted policy reforms. These include extending special economic zone (SEZ) benefits to any BPO firm that creates more than 300 jobs, regardless of its physical location. It is also calling for a standardized transfer pricing rate to eliminate tax uncertainty and improve investor confidence.
“The alliance aims to stimulate job creation and global investment,” said Jonathan Beardsley, head of digital livelihoods at Genesis Analytics. “We are aligning global demand with Kenya’s digital skills programmes to create careers for youth.”
Kenya’s digital infrastructure strengthens the case. Multiple submarine cables connect Mombasa to global networks, supporting high-speed international connectivity essential for IT-enabled services.
AI, talent, and Africa’s outsourcing opportunity
Beyond policy reform, OAK plans to host an East Africa Global Business Services Summit to attract international operators and launch an AI Skills Observatory to track and develop emerging digital capabilities.
The strategy reflects structural shifts in the global outsourcing market. As labor costs rise and automation reshapes traditional BPO models in mature markets, Africa is emerging as a cost-competitive alternative. The country offers labor costs 60–70% lower than in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Demographics further strengthen Kenya’s position. More than 12 million African youth enter the job market annually, creating a large, digitally native talent pool capable of supporting next-generation outsourcing services.
Government leaders have signaled strong support. Speaking at the Connected Africa Summit 2025, ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary Eng. John Tanui reaffirmed Kenya’s ambition to become Africa’s premier outsourcing hub. He highlighted the country’s strong international connectivity and expanding digital ecosystem.
By uniting major industry players under one platform, OAK aims to fast-track Kenya’s transformation into a global business services destination. If successful, the alliance could become a model for other African nations seeking to leverage outsourcing as a catalyst for investment, innovation, and sustainable job growth.
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Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy. (2025, May 26). BPO track: Positioning Kenya as Africa’s Next Hub for Outsourcing IT Enabled Services (ITES). Retrieved from https://ict.go.ke/bpo-trackpositioning-kenya-africas-next-hub-outsourcing-it-enabled-services-ites
Macayan, D. (2026, February 7). Kenya BPO firms form OAK alliance to drive jobs, foreign investments. Outsource Accelerator. Retrieved from https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/kenya-bpo-oak-alliance/
