ASUS Eyes Kenya’s Growing Enterprise And AI Market

As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates across Africa, global technology manufacturers are increasingly positioning themselves around enterprise computing, security, and digital infrastructure opportunities emerging in markets such as Kenya.

Speaking with CIO Africa during GITEX Kenya, ASUS Regional Commercial Director for Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Tolga Özdil, said the company is seeing growing demand for commercial technology solutions as businesses across the continent modernize operations and prepare for AI-driven workloads. Özdil, who has worked at ASUS for nearly 15 years, noted that while the company is widely associated with gaming and consumer devices, it has spent the last several years expanding its commercial technology portfolio.

“Everybody knows us as an ROG brand and also a consumer approach across the world,” he said. “Actually, we are an engineering company and almost 30% of the employees inside ASUS are engineers.”

According to Özdil, the company shifted its strategic focus toward enterprise and commercial solutions about five years ago, leading to the development of a broader business-focused product portfolio that includes notebooks, desktops, servers, and other enterprise devices. Özdil described artificial intelligence as one of the biggest technology trends shaping the global ICT industry today. However, he emphasized that discussions around AI often overlook the growing importance of hardware performance and offline AI capabilities.

“AI is mostly using software and internet,” he said. “But some AI features can also be used offline. Actually, the hardware is becoming more important if you want to use AI privately with offline versions.”

He explained that organizations are increasingly seeking devices capable of handling AI workloads locally, particularly where privacy, performance, and data protection are concerns. ASUS, he said, is focusing on what it describes as “AI-ready” devices designed to support these emerging use cases. Cybersecurity and data protection also remain key priorities for enterprises across Africa as organizations face growing risks linked to digital transformation. Özdil argued that security should begin at the hardware level before software protections are layered on top.

“I think security starts from the hardware,” he said. “Then after that you can add the software on top of it to secure your data.”

He further pointed to features such as TPM security technologies and device protection mechanisms now becoming standard in commercial devices. However, he added that durability is becoming equally important for businesses looking to reduce downtime and extend device lifespan.

“Durability is also important for business,” he said. “We want to provide a seamless using scenario for your business journey.”

Özdil also highlighted the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of many African economies. He noted that many SMEs often lack dedicated IT personnel, creating demand for simpler and easier-to-manage business devices. To address this, ASUS has introduced separate commercial product lines targeting different business users. According to Özdil, the company’s “P-Series” devices are specifically designed for SMEs that may not have internal IT departments.

“They need to use the device fluently and without any issue,” he said. “That’s why we are producing the P-Series for SME customers.”

He added that some devices now include built-in AI-powered productivity features such as meeting summarization and language tools aimed at simplifying daily business operations. Looking at the Kenyan market specifically, Özdil described Kenya as a strategic technology hub for East Africa and an important gateway into the broader regional market.

“I feel like Kenya is a gateway for all of the East Africa region,” he said. “Normally all of the East African countries are following the Kenya news.”

He also referenced Kenya’s growing focus on AI and digital infrastructure development under its long-term digital transformation agenda, saying the company hopes to play a role beyond simply supplying devices.

“We want to be part of this journey with Kenya together,” he said. “Not only provide devices, but also care about people’s education.”

Özdil pointed to previous ASUS initiatives in Kenya that included donations of devices for computer labs and digital literacy support programs, which he said have already reached thousands of learners across the country.

As Kenya continues positioning itself as a regional technology and innovation hub, vendors are increasingly expected to balance commercial ambitions with broader contributions toward digital skills development, infrastructure growth, and long-term ecosystem support.