Mr. Andrew Mwanyota Lewela
Nationality: Kenyan
Country of Residence: Kenya
Organisation or affiliation: Kenya Network Information Centre
Position: Chief Executive Officer
Brief Motivation
I am motivated to join the AFRINIC Board to contribute to the sustainable and inclusive growth of Africa’s internet ecosystem. With over 15 years of experience at the intersection of technology, policy, and development, I bring a unique blend of strategic leadership and grassroots understanding. As CEO of KeNIC, I’ve led Kenya’s ccTLD and championed domain governance, digital infrastructure growth, and stakeholder engagement. My background spans public policy design at Kenya’s ICT Authority, cybersecurity advisory for telcos, and leading multi-million-dollar ICT projects with global tech firms. I am passionate about internet governance and believe AFRINIC plays a critical role in Africa’s digital sovereignty and prosperity. I aim to strengthen its transparency, inclusivity, and policy alignment with national and regional development goals. I will advocate for capacity building, IPv6 adoption, cybersecurity, and youth inclusion. I’m committed to AFRINIC’s bottom-up governance model and dedicated to serving its community with integrity and vision.
Professional Background
Andrew Lewela is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of leadership in the ICT and digital transformation sectors across Africa. His career spans senior roles in public service, multinational technology companies, and non-profit organizations, with a strong focus on leveraging technology to advance socio-economic development, policy innovation, and digital inclusion.
He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC), where he leads the strategic management of Kenya’s .ke domain. Under his leadership, KeNIC has strengthened its role in national internet governance, fostered partnerships across government and private sector stakeholders, and improved operational and service delivery frameworks.
Andrew is also the Founder and CEO of Sambali Group, a consultancy focused on government affairs and digital economy strategy. Through Sambali, he has advised governments and private entities on ICT policy, regulatory frameworks, and public-private partnerships that drive inclusive digital growth.
Previously, Andrew was the Public Sector & Telco Lead for Kenya at Check Point Software Technologies, where he advised key clients on cybersecurity strategies and helped shape national digital resilience policies. At Oracle, he served as Sales Manager for the Public Sector, where he negotiated transformative digital infrastructure projects, including the largest private cloud deal in Kenya's government history.
As Senior Manager, Enterprise Business – Public Sector at Safaricom, he drove significant growth in public sector accounts, managing over USD 20 million in revenue and delivering 100%+ target performance.
Andrew’s public sector impact is especially notable during his tenure at the ICT Authority of Kenya, where he led World Bank-funded projects supporting BPO/ITES growth under Vision 2030. He managed an $8.6 million budget, established a Centre of Excellence for IT/BPO skills, and helped shape key national ICT development policies.
Earlier in his career, Andrew held product and project leadership roles at MobiKash, Mobile-XL, and Cellulant, where he helped deploy pioneering mobile commerce and banking solutions across East Africa. He also contributed to virtual airtime growth strategies at Virtual City in the early 2000s.
Andrew’s core competencies include strategic leadership, ICT policy, digital transformation, stakeholder engagement, product innovation, and financial management. He is passionate about internet governance, regional digital sovereignty, and inclusive access to digital infrastructure.
His proven ability to align technology with national development agendas and build high-performing teams across sectors makes him well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to AFRINIC’s mission and strategic direction.