In this ever-changing, fast-moving digital world, businesses have to be adaptive, secure and prepared for what the future will bring. For organisations that use legacy SAP solutions like SAP ECC (ERP Central Component), time is running out. Around the world, organisations are moving away from traditional SAP solutions to SAP S/4HANA - SAP's next-generation ERP solution that has intelligence built into it. This trend is reflected in businesses across Kenya.

Because there are approaching deadlines for SAP support and significant business drivers to consider, this is an important time for SAP customers to have a well-defined migration plan.

What Is SAP S/4HANA?

SAP S/4HANA is SAP's contemporary enterprise resource platform developed on SAP's in-memory database HANA to provide real-time business insights and enable streamlined business processes and a greater level of automation for users. S/4HANA uses memory-based rather than traditional relational database systems via batch processing, allowing quick decisions based on instant insights — as well as the ability to use artificial intelligence and integrate with the cloud, which is essential for gaining a competitive advantage in today's digital world.

Why the Migration Momentum Is Building in Kenya

The SAP ecosystem used to be primarily made up of on-premise SAP ECC systems, but now there is a major global shift towards adopting intelligent ERPs. In Kenya's private and public sectors, ranging from finance to manufacturing to logistics and government agencies, a growing number of organisations are realising that competition, compliance, and customer demands require them to have more flexible technology infrastructures.

Three forces are driving this momentum:

1. Imminent End of SAP ECC Support

SAP has communicated that it will provide specific timelines for ramping down support for legacy ERP systems. Mainstream support for SAP ECC 6.0, including enhancement packages 6-8, will end on December 31, 2027, at which point regular Updates (including bug fixes), legal compliance patches, and security updates will no longer be provided. There has already been an end to mainstream support for legacy systems (EHP 0-5) as of December 31, 2025. Companies can still obtain extended support for their legacy systems through December 31, 2030, but this is a stopgap solution rather than a long-term strategy. Companies will build up technical debt the longer they wait to migrate and expose themselves to increased risk from security vulnerabilities and compliance gaps that may hinder critical business operations.

2. Rising Costs and Resource Constraints

Migrating an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system requires many resources. Analysts believe that it could take between 18 and 36 months to migrate from SAP to its new S/4HANA system, depending on the landscape's complexity, the number of customisations made to the system, and the amount of data that's being migrated.

As the 2027 end date approaches:

• The number of consultants and qualified specialists for SAP migrations is already limited.
• Consulting fees for SAP migration will continue to increase as demand grows.
• Companies that wait until the last minute to complete their migration may encounter delays, overspending, and greater operational risk for their company.

Starting your SAP S/4HANA project as soon as possible will ensure a smoother migration and allow your organisation to manage its database effectively and see the benefits of the operation more quickly than if it started the project at the last minute.

3. Innovation Is Moving to S/4HANA

SAP has made a strategic choice to devote all of its resources toward getting S/4HANA into production, creating an innovative roadmap for its next evolutionary phase that includes the utilisation of AI-based analytic solutions, improved supply chain automation through the use of emerging technologies, and the use of embedded machine learning technology.

Organisations that are still on ECC have no access to new capabilities after going to S/4HANA, eventually having to move into an environment in which they are treated as if they were in "legacy" mode. Meanwhile, companies using S/4HANA will benefit from real-time analytics and automated processes.

If a company in Kenya wishes to grow, maintain a resilient supply chain, or improve customer experience, remaining on ECC will result in a slower rate of growth during a time when innovation and technology are important.

The Kenya Context — Adoption & Opportunity

The overall technology infrastructure of Kenya is quickly evolving to include increased use of cloud-based services as well as improvements to business processes through digital transformation. Many SAP end-users in East Africa continue to be in various stages of preparation, assessment, or early migration toward their cloud-based services.

The evolution of technology within Kenya will present both challenges and opportunities:

Competitive Differentiation

Utilising the capabilities of SAP S/4HANA as an early adopter includes being able to achieve:

• Real-Time Business Intelligence - Will help you make timely decisions in fast-paced markets.
• A.I. Process Optimisation - Will drive efficiencies in finance, human resources, supply chain, and customer service.
• Cloud Ready Platform - Will enable you to scale your business cost-effectively.

These functionalities are essential for success in today's digital economy.

Future-Proof Operations

Kenyan Businesses Now Can Migrate To:

1. Develop stronger data governance structures.

2. Work effectively with new cloud services.

3. Enhance the efficiency of all departments in ways that are no longer feasible with older systems.

This degree of digital maturity is linked to both agility and resilience, something that is particularly important during difficult economic times.

Don’t Wait — Plan Your Migration Today

The migration to SAP S/4HANA is critical to your organisation; there is no choice. With SAP providing a very clear timeline for when they will stop supporting old versions of their software, the delay to 2026–2027 could result in;

• Increased cost/projects due to not being able to secure skilled people
• Rushing projects leads to substandard solutions and increased technical debt
• Being at a disadvantage to your industry peers who are rapidly innovating.

Therefore, the best way to eliminate risk and maximise your ability to realise the digital value associated with transformations is through proactive planning.

Start Your SAP S/4HANA Journey with Prompt Edify

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