KAM, AOTS partner to accelerate Kenya’s digital transformation 

Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has partnered with Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships (AOTS) to drive automation and digital transformation of Kenya’s manufacturing sector. 

Through the partnership, KAM and AOTS shall enhance business ties between KAM Members and Japanese companies and encourage the uptake of the Kaizen culture and shift towards lean automation, using tools such as the Internet of Things (IOTs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony, held during the Japan-Africa Public-Private Economic Forum, AOTS President Kuwanyama Shima, noted that the partnership shall drive manufacturing growth in Kenya, by increasing the sector’s productivity. 

“Our goal is to significantly increase the intensity of Kenya’s manufacturing sector. We shall achieve this by embedding lean manufacturing processes to mitigate losses using IOT devices, capacity building and sharing our experiences with companies based in Japan.” 

KAM Vice Chairman, Rajan Shah recognized the need to empower local industry’s workforce, to enable them take advantage of opportunities presented by Industry 4.0. 

“There is an increasing demand for skilled workers in industries in Kenya with demand for improved quality of goods and services that meet international investor standards. Knowledge transfer between KAM and AOTS will stimulate the creation of a sustainable development process and promote investment and innovation, particularly for the manufacturing sector.” 

The partnership is supported by the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) – Japan. KAM and AOTS shall conduct a feasibility study to identify challenges, gaps and opportunities for automation/digital transformation for productivity enhancement. The findings shall guide the improvement of the manufacturing process, automation of industries and development of a new curriculum for the KAM Manufacturing Academy.