Kenya signs creative economy Statement of Intent with Idris Elba's Akuna Group

Kenya and the Akuna Group, the creative, entertainment and media company founded by the actor Sir Idris Elba, have signed a Statement of Intent to cooperate on the creative economy, responsible artificial intelligence, digital innovation and youth empowerment, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs said on 4 November 2026.

Dr Korir Sing'oei, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Foreign Affairs, signed for Kenya. Elba, Akuna Group's chairman, signed for the company. The signing took place on the sidelines of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.

The statement names four areas of work: creator financing, youth skills development, digital innovation and access to international markets. It describes the aim as connecting Kenyan creative talent with technology, investment and opportunities across the Commonwealth.

The partnership sits within the Commonwealth Creative Economy Partnership, which brings together Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Barbados to use the creative economy as a driver of inclusive growth.

The collaboration is expected to complement Talanta Hela, the government's programme for identifying and developing talent, by adding market access, financing and ways for creators to earn from their work.

On behalf of President William Ruto, Sing'oei invited Elba to visit Kenya during the Internet Governance Forum, which Nairobi hosts from 14 to 18 December.

Sing'oei and Elba had already met online. The Kenyan news site K24 Digital reported on 8 September 2026, citing Sing'oei's post on X, that the two held a virtual meeting on strengthening Africa's creative economy and young people's access to global markets. They also discussed the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda and the planned launch of the Commonwealth Creative Economy Partnership.

At the meeting, Elba said talented young people needed more than encouragement to build sustainable careers, and pointed to payment systems, professional networks, international market access, creative education and emerging technologies.

Sing'oei wrote on X, as quoted by K24: "Our young creatives must not remain at the margins of the global creative economy."

In July 2026 Google and Akuna Group announced a programme to train about 100,000 African content creators in AI tools, including Google's Gemini. Kenya is among the target countries.