The Secretariat was established in 1999 when the telecommunications and postal sector underwent liberalisation. Before then, the ICT sector was under the defunct Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (KPTC) who were responsible for regulation and operations of all the activities of the sector. The liberalisation of the sector brought dissolution of KPTC and formation of the following institutions:

1. Communications Commission of Kenya (now Communications Authority of Kenya) as the regulatory body for the sector
2. Telkom Kenya as the national telecommunication operator
3. Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) as the national public postal operator
4. Communication and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal (CMAT) as the appellate body for the sector
5. National Communications Secretariat

The reform process proposed the establishment of the National Communications Secretariat as a Statutory Body mandated to provide policy advisory services to the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology.

The Secretariat was formally established through the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA) 1998. It was operationalised through the Legal Notice No.22 of 15th February 1999 which brought the Section 84 of the KICA 1998 into operation.

The mandate of NCS as stipulated in Section 84 of the Kenya Information and Communication Act, 1998, is to advise the Government on the adoption of a communication policy that:

1. Promotes the benefits of technological development to all users of postal and telecommunication facilities;
2. Fosters national safety and security, economic prosperity and the delivery of critical social services through post and telecommunications;
3. Facilitates and contributes to the full development of competition and efficiency in the provision of services both within and outside Kenya; and
4. Fosters full and efficient use of telecommunication resources including effective use of the radio spectrum by the government in a manner which encourages the most beneficial use thereof in the public interest.

Vision 

A Trusted Hub for ICT Advisory Services

Mission

To foster efficient use of ICT resources through provision of Quality ICT policy advisory services

1. Integrity – To be honest and to uphold strong moral principles in doing our work, to maintain high ethical standards
2.  Professionalism – To acquire a combination of all the qualities of a trained and skilled workforce
3. Patriotism – To proudly love our country more than any other
4. Inclusivity – To include all people and treat them fairly and equally
5. Collaboration – To work together to create synergy and achieve our goals.
6. Innovation – Keep abreast of advancement of technology to enhance competitive edge in policy advisory