Developed countries have successfully implemented various Industry 4.0 (I4.0) initiatives, showcasing their ability to reap the benefits of this new industrial revolution. Active pursuit of excellence in Industry 4.0 is evident in these nations. However, in Africa, many countries still lack a clear understanding of Industry 4.0, with some remaining trapped in Industry 1.0 and others facing challenges in transitioning to Industry 2.0. Moreover, a significant number of these African countries continue to grapple with limited access to reliable electricity. To address the issue, this study examines seven strategies identified as criteria for enhancing the adoption of Industry 4.0 within the East African Community (EAC). These strategies are derived from observations of Industry 4.0 initiatives implemented in developed countries. Subsequently, the criteria are used to evaluate and rank the level of Industry 4.0 adoption in two specific East African countries. To tackle the challenges of complex group decision-making, the study integrates the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) technique with the Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) within a spherical fuzzy (SF) framework. The SF-SWARA approach is applied to determine the weight and importance of the criteria, while SF-WASPAS is employed to rank the countries based on the criteria weighted by SF-SWARA. According to the findings, it was revealed that education and training, research, development, and innovation, as well as public-private partnerships and policy innovation, are the three most influential strategies for significantly improving the adoption of Industry 4.0 within the East African community. Furthermore, the results indicate that Rwanda stands out as the leading country in terms of implementing these strategies to enhance the adoption of Industry 4.0 technology. To verify the reliability and suitability of the proposed methodology, a sensitivity analysis was conducted, which affirmed the stability and practicality of the suggested approach.