Drafting Kenya’s National E-commerce Policy: How Australia Awards alum, Maseline Kamasara is helping shape the future of digital trade

As a Principal Industrial Development Officer in Kenya’s Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, alumna Maseline Kamasara works on policies and initiatives aimed at strengthening industrial competitiveness and expanding opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). In 2025, she played a key role in drafting Kenya’s National E-commerce Policy after being appointed to the ministry’s departmental committee responsible for developing the strategy. The draft policy, published in July 2025, is currently undergoing review and seeks to strengthen Kenya’s digital economy while creating new opportunities for MSMEs, particularly women and youth led businesses.

Although Kenya has one of Africa’s strongest economies, growth in investment, trade and industry continues to face significant challenges. Rising production costs have reduced the competitiveness of locally manufactured goods, while many MSMEs continue to operate informally, limiting their ability to access finance, expand operations and participate fully in formal markets. These barriers often affect women and young entrepreneurs disproportionately.

Recognising the growing role of digital trade in addressing some of these challenges, Maseline applied for the Australia Awards Short Course: Enhancing Continental Trade Facilitation in Africa, delivered by the University of Adelaide in 2025. She was keen to strengthen her understanding of trade facilitation, digital commerce, and policy development, while gaining practical tools that could be applied within Kenya’s trade and industry sector.

During the program, Maseline engaged with trade experts and policymakers from across Africa and Australia. She gained valuable insights on Australia’s experience negotiating the Digital Economy Agreement with Singapore from Professor Peter Draper, Executive Director of the Institute for International Trade. She also connected with Gilbert Mbipan, a fellow Australia Awards alum who led the review of Cameroon’s Digital Trade Policy, expanding her understanding of how different countries are approaching digital trade governance.

Maseline’s Reintegration Action Plan

Building on the knowledge, networks and policy perspectives gained through the short course, Maseline’s Reintegration Action Plan focused on supporting the committee responsible for drafting Kenya’s National E-commerce Policy. Drawing on lessons from the program and insights shared through her short course, she contributed to discussions on digital trade governance, emerging e-commerce trends, and evidence-based policy development. Additionally, she helped to strengthen the capacity of the team of researchers and policy drafters with the knowledge gained at a world class tertiary institution in Australia. Maseline also consulted fellow Australia Awards alumni involved in the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Agreement) negotiations and digital trade initiatives, helping bring comparative regional perspectives into the policy development process in Kenya. Participating in the Australia Awards Short Course, Maseline gained the skills, tools, and models to enhance trade, as well as the expertise of highly esteemed members of Australia’s academia and the network of alumni to share best practices with.

Maseline served as a researcher and drafter on the departmental committee responsible for developing the policy. After months of work, the draft National E-commerce Policy was published in July 2025 and is currently undergoing review by government agencies, regulators, private sector representatives, development partners, academia, and civil society organisations before adoption.

Though yet to be implemented, the policy seeks to address challenges such as limited digital infrastructure, inadequate legal frameworks, low digital literacy, and restricted access to financing and logistics. Additionally, it aims to support MSMEs to participate more effectively in the digital economy while recognising the barriers they face. The policy also prioritises data protection, cybersecurity, and consumer rights, while promoting domestic and cross-border e-commerce and the adoption of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of Things.

According to the Communications Authority of Kenya, the country’s e-commerce sector continues to expand, with user penetration currently at 40.3% and revenues projected to grow by an average of 16.7% annually through 2027. As Kenya continues to deepen its participation in the digital economy, the policy is expected to provide an important framework for inclusive and sustainable digital trade.

For Maseline, the Australia Awards experience not only strengthened her technical knowledge but also changed the way she approaches her work.

“The access to a wider pool of trade and related data has been instrumental in informing my trade and industry briefs. I am now better equipped to use trade data to forecast outcomes in the face of an increasingly volatile global trade environment. The perspective shift gained during the program of aiming for incremental changes rather than focusing on seemingly unattainable mammoth gains has enabled me to disaggregate my work into bite-sized milestones building up towards bigger achievements,” said Maseline Kamasara.

Looking ahead

The short course also inspired Maseline to apply for an Australia Awards Scholarship, which she was awarded. She is currently pursuing a Master of Global Business and Public Policy at Monash University in Melbourne and hopes to continue contributing to Kenya’s trade and industry agenda upon completing her studies.

Maseline Kamasara is part of a growing network of Australia Awards Africa alumni who are applying knowledge, skills and professional connections gained through Australian education to address development challenges across the continent, including trade policies.