NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 27 – Estonia has expressed its readiness to assist Kenya in its efforts to fully digitize government services, drawing on its experience as a leader in e-governance.
Estonia, which has achieved 100 percent digital adoption in government services, has encouraged Kenya to adopt similar systems.
According to Enel Pungas, Head of the Population Facts Department at Estonia’s Ministry of Interior, the country’s digital transformation was driven by a decision to introduce digital identities (e-ID) for all citizens.
This system allows Estonians to access services such as bill payments, online voting, contract signing, shopping, and healthcare records.
“In Estonia, even complex life events, such as divorce, have been digitized,” Pungas said. “This reflects the need for services to be not only efficient but also responsive to real-life challenges.”
The country also offers online marriage applications and other services through its e-population register.
Kenya has made significant progress in its digitization efforts, with over 5,000 government services now accessible via the e-Citizen platform. These services include birth registration, company searches, passport applications, and visa processing.
Joel Karubiu, Estonia’s Export Advisor for Kenya and Eastern Africa, noted that interoperability between systems has been key to ensuring smooth service delivery and enabling cashless payments.
Estonia and Kenya have also strengthened ties in other areas. Several Estonian companies have collaborated with Kenyan firms to digitize education resources, while others have launched online businesses targeting the Kenyan market.
Additionally, scholarships awarded to Kenyan students to study e-gaming in Estonia aim to enhance content development for local audiences.
