This archive report was first published on 14 September 2019.
Published on September 14, 2019, a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) highlights Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa as the continent's leading digital economies, controlling 60% of Africa's digital market.
These countries have successfully leveraged data and digital platforms to drive entrepreneurship, with Kenya's digital industry estimated to be worth over Sh4.3 billion, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya.
However, UNCTAD warns that introducing digital taxes in Kenya could undermine the country's digital progress, potentially reducing active internet users and suppressing growing start-ups and online businesses.
Kenya is among several countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia, considering measures to tax the digital economy, but UNCTAD cautions against this approach, citing unequal wealth distribution and the concentration of wealth among a small number of individuals, companies, and countries.
