贸易与劳动力：肯尼亚数字经济中体面工作的途径（英）

W H I T EP A P E RS E P T E M B E R2 0 2 5 Contents Foreword3 Executive summary4 Introduction5 1Digital trade and investment flows and the regulatory landscape7 1.1 Trade71.2 Investment81.3 Domestic policy landscape9 2Labour challenges in Kenya’s digital economy12 2.1 Equitable access to digital jobs and skills122.2 Labour rights and fair working conditions in digital jobs132.3 Long-term viability in the context of Al and automation14 3Policy and business responses153.1 Expanding access to jobs and skills163.2 Promoting decent work and fair conditions in digital labour163.3 Preparing for job displacement in an Al-driven future17 4Policy options in detail184.1 Amending labour laws to better include digital economy workers194.2 Decent work toolkits for businesses in the digital economy204.3 Harmonizing labour standards through trade and regional frameworks22 Conclusion23 Annex24 Contributors26 Endnotes28 Disclaimer This document is published by the World Economic Forumand the Geneva Graduate Institute as a contributionto a project, insight area or interaction. The findings,interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are a resultof a collaborative process facilitated and endorsed by theWorld Economic Forum and the Geneva Graduate Institutebut whose results do not necessarily represent the viewsof the World Economic Forum and the Geneva GraduateInstitute, nor the entirety of its Members, Partners or otherstakeholders. © 2025 World Economic Forum and Geneva GraduateInstitute. All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,including photocopying and recording, or by any informationstorage and retrieval system. Foreword Kenya provides a compelling perspective on thistransformation. With one of Africa’s most dynamicdigital economies, Kenya has become a regionalhub for gig work, business process outsourcing andAI-enabled service exports. Its digital labour marketreflects both the promise and precarity of the globaldigital transition: expanded access to income-generating opportunities on one hand, and risinginformality, legal ambiguity and automation risks onthe other. The global economy is being reshaped by the digitaltransition. Digitally delivered services now accountfor more than half of global services exports, whileplatform technologies and artificial intelligence(AI) are transforming the movement of goods,trade in services and the organization of supplychains. These shifts are redrawing the geographyof trade and creating new avenues for economicparticipation, especially for emerging markets.At the same time they are disrupting traditionalemployment structures and raising urgent questionsabout labour rights, social protection and inclusion,as well as development. Maroun KairouzManaging Director,World Economic Forum This report draws on in-depth interviews andmultistakeholder engagement to assess thecurrent state of Kenya’s digital labour ecosystemand identify reforms that can bridge the gapbetween digital growth and decent work in globalvalue chains. It underscores the importance ofmodernizing labour laws, promoting responsiblebusiness practices and using regional andmultilateral trade frameworks to align economiccompetitiveness with labour protections. This case study, focused on Kenya’s digitaleconomy, was undertaken in collaboration withAfrica Practice as part of the Trade and LabourProgramme jointly led by the Centre for Regions,Trade and Geopolitics at the World EconomicForum and the Thinking Ahead on SocietalChange (TASC) Platform at the Geneva GraduateInstitute, with support from Laudes Foundation.The programme generates insights and policyrecommendations to ensure trade and investmentcontribute to better labour outcomes in the face ofglobal digital, green and geopolitical changes. Cédric DupontProfessor, InternationalRelations/Political Scienceand Co-Chair, TASC Platform,Geneva Graduate Institute Kenya’s experience offers timely lessons on how tobuild a global digital economy that is not only fast-moving but fair, inclusive and resilient. We hope thisreport will spark further dialogue and action towardsshaping labour standards and opportunities forworkers throughout digital value chains. Marcus CourageChief Executive Officer,Africa Practice Executive summary Kenya’s digital economy is expandingrapidly, but risks from unequal access,weak protections and looming automationdemand urgent policy action. Kenya’s digital economy is undergoing rapidgrowth, driven by expansion in gig work, businessprocess outsourcing (BPO) and digitally deliveredservices. The sector is expected to reach $23billion by 2025,1accounting for 9.24% of GDP.2Anestimated 1.9 million Kenyans are now engagedin digital jobs,3including 1.2 million gig workers.4Kenya has positioned itself as a regional leader infinancial technology (fintech), cloud services andremote outsourcing, bolstered by a young, tech-savvy population and strong mobile infras