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โ† Free AI courses by country

Learning AI in Kenya

Free AI courses in Kenya

Quick answer

Yes, there are free government AI courses in Kenya. The ICT Authority's Smart Academy runs free, live online courses with partners such as IBM, with a certificate on completion. The next free AI Literacy session is on 1 to 3 December 2026. AI Certified, on 7 to 11 December 2026, is an in-person course that costs Ksh 50,000. Ajira Digital also runs free training for young Kenyans. Checked 22 October 2026.

Kenya's ICT Authority runs free, live evening courses online through its Smart Academy, with partners such as IBM, and each free session ends with a certificate. The next free AI course is AI Literacy, on 1 to 3 December 2026. Not every AI course on the calendar is free: AI Certified and AI for SDG are five-day classroom courses at Ksh 50,000 per person. While you wait for a free session, the LearnWithZavi courses below need no signup and give a free certificate for each course you finish.

Every fact about government schemes on this page is taken from the official page it links to. LearnWithZavi is independent and is not affiliated with the Government of Kenya, the ICT Authority or any scheme listed here.

Start free with Prompt Engineering โ†’See government options

Free and funded government options in Kenya

Checked against official pages on . Schemes change, so confirm current details on the official page before you apply.

ICT Authority Smart Academy: free partner training

ICT Authority, with training partners including IBM

  • Live online sessions in the evenings, free unless marked Paid, with a certificate on completion.
  • Free sessions are open to everyone, and you register with a short form.
  • AI Literacy runs online on 1 to 3 December 2026, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and covers key AI concepts, uses, ethics and practical skills with AI tools.
  • Explore Emerging Tech runs online on 3 to 5 November 2026, 6:00 to 8:30 PM, and covers AI alongside data, cloud computing, cybersecurity and quantum computing.

Worth knowing: Registration for both was not yet open when we checked; the calendar says it opens soon. AI Certified (7 to 11 December 2026) and AI for SDG (21 to 25 June 2027) are in-person courses at Ksh 50,000 per person, so they are not free.

Source: Smart Academy free training calendar, FY2026/27 โ†—

AI Champion Recognition Programme (Microsoft Elevate)

ICT Authority, with Pathways Technologies and Microsoft Elevate

  • Fully sponsored, with no personal cost to participants.
  • Open to young people with an interest in AI, from any field, not only technology.
  • All participants receive digital badges and e-certificates, and the top 20 receive sponsorship for Microsoft-backed certifications.

Worth knowing: The 2026 cohort ran online from 29 June to 2 July 2026. The page shows no date for another cohort.

Source: AI Champion Recognition Programme โ†—

Ajira Digital

Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy

  • A programme to help young Kenyans find and do online work, with training, mentorship and guidance.
  • Offers free training and mentorship, including virtual classes, at centres, universities and TVET institutions.
  • You book one class at a time on the Ajira portal, and places are first come, first served.

Worth knowing: The site has a certificate verification page, but it does not say which classes give a certificate, so check when you book. Classes can fill up quickly.

Source: Ajira Digital โ†—

How they fit together: Book Smart Academy's free AI Literacy session for a live introduction and a certificate, and watch the calendar for the next free AI dates. Use Ajira Digital if you want to earn online. The courses below let you start practising today, at your own pace, so you get more out of the live sessions.

6 free courses to start today, in the order we would take them

No signup, no card and no coding. Each course ends with a free certificate of completion.

Foundations

Prompt Engineering

Talk to robots. Get better answers.

Learn to write prompts that get you exactly what you want from AI, from your first 'hello' to advanced techniques like few-shot examples and chain-of-thought. No coding required, wit strongly encouraged.

Beginner ยท 12 lessons ยท ~33 min reading

Foundations

Getting Started with ChatGPT

Your first hour, properly spent.

A complete beginner's tour: what the screen is showing you, how to ask for things, what the different modes do, what it costs, and the settings worth changing on day one.

Beginner ยท 6 lessons ยท ~16 min reading

AI at Work

AI Productivity at Work

Get your evenings back.

Use AI for the work that eats your week: email, meeting notes, research, reports and planning. Every lesson gives you something you can use the same afternoon, and the course ends with a weekly routine you can actually keep.

Beginner ยท 6 lessons ยท ~13 min reading

Career

AI-Powered Job Search

Apply smarter, not 200 times.

Turn AI into your job search assistant: tailor your CV to each posting, write cover letters that sound human, sharpen your LinkedIn profile, and walk into interviews prepared. Ends with a 30-day plan you can follow.

Beginner ยท 6 lessons ยท ~16 min reading

Create with AI

AI for Marketing and Content

More output. Same voice.

Research your audience, keep a consistent brand voice, turn one idea into a month of content, generate ad creative, and know what to check before anything goes public.

Beginner ยท 6 lessons ยท ~16 min reading

Career

Build an AI Portfolio Employers Can Verify

Proof beats certificates.

Certificates rarely get anyone hired. Verifiable work does. Choose projects that prove real skill, build them, document them so a stranger can check them, and show them to employers without overclaiming.

Beginner ยท 6 lessons ยท ~17 min reading

Worth reading alongside

Questions from learners in Kenya

Are there free government AI courses in Kenya?
Yes. The ICT Authority's Smart Academy runs free, live online AI courses with partners such as IBM. Check each course on the calendar, because some AI courses are paid classroom courses.
Do Smart Academy courses give a certificate?
Yes. The Smart Academy says its free live sessions come with a certificate on completion, and its website has a certificate verification page.
When is the next free AI course in Kenya?
On the Smart Academy calendar, AI Literacy runs online on 1 to 3 December 2026, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and is free. Explore Emerging Tech, which also covers AI, runs on 3 to 5 November 2026. Registration for both was due to open soon when we checked.
Is AI Certified free?
No. AI Certified on 7 to 11 December 2026 is a five-day in-person course at Ksh 50,000 per person. AI Literacy is the free online option.
Is Ajira Digital free?
Yes. Ajira Digital offers free training and mentorship for young Kenyans. You book classes on the Ajira portal, one at a time, on a first come, first served basis.
Which free AI course should I start with in Kenya?
Book Smart Academy's AI Literacy when registration opens, and start LearnWithZavi's Prompt Engineering today while you wait. It needs no signup and works on a phone.

Know someone in Kenya who wants to learn AI?

The free government options and free courses in one place, with every scheme linked to its official page.

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