NAIROBI, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's business process outsourcing (BPO) sector has created over 40,000 jobs recently, driven by the entry of new investors attracted by an enabling policy and regulatory environment, senior officials said on Tuesday.

John Tanui, principal secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, said that Kenya is leveraging its skilled workforce and supportive infrastructure to spur the growth of the BPO sector and generate employment opportunities for the youth.

"As an emerging space for our country, BPO is providing opportunities for digital workers. We have multinational companies that have set up shop here, and we expect to see increased demand for BPO services in the near future," Tanui said.

He made the remarks in Nairobi during the launch of a policy briefing on revitalizing the digital economy, an event attended by senior policymakers, industry leaders, regulators and founders of technology start-ups.

According to Tanui, Kenya is among Africa's leading economies, including South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria, that have developed vibrant BPO industries to combat youth unemployment and boost foreign exchange earnings.

The government has amended existing legislation to enhance the welfare and safety of local youth employed by multinational firms investing in outsourcing services, he added.

Highlighting major companies like Teleperformance, CCI and Samasource as key investors in Kenya's BPO sector, Tanui said that the government aims to create 500,000 jobs in this sector in the near future.

Dennis Itumbi, head of creative economy and special projects at the Executive Office of the President of Kenya, said that state interventions to stimulate the BPO sector's growth include governance reforms, skills development and improved access to electricity, computers and high-speed internet.

Additionally, the government has increased investments in digital hubs, introduced zero-rating for imported computers, and eliminated bureaucratic barriers to facilitate investments in the sector, which promotes remote work opportunities for the youth, Itumbi said.

He said that a presidential roundtable on accelerating BPO growth will be held in the first quarter of the year.

The Kenyan government is also reforming the tax regime and investing in training on emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to promote online work opportunities, Itumbi added. ■