SGCI News
The National Research Fund (NRF) leadership, last week, joined the principal secretary of the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, Haukat Abdulrazak, on a strategic visit to Konza Technopolis,…
The National Research Fund (NRF) leadership, last week, joined the principal secretary of the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, Haukat Abdulrazak, on a strategic visit to Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s flagship innovation ecosystem and a cornerstone of the country’s ambition to become a knowledge-based economy.
The visit, led by NRF chief executive officer Dickson Andala, offered a first-hand look at the remarkable transformation taking place at Konza, often referred to as Kenya’s Silicon Savannah.
During the visit, the discussion centered on the role of Konza’s Digital Hub in supporting a national research repository and a Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Observatory, as well as its potential to position Kenya as a continental innovation hub.
The delegation also engaged with the leadership of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST) on postgraduate training, advanced research, and capacity building.
For Andala, the visit reinforced the central role of the National Research Fund in bridging policy, research, and innovation. He reaffirmed NRF’s commitment to supporting high-quality research, fostering innovation, and enabling commercialisation pathways that ensure research outcomes deliver tangible benefits for society.
From an SGCI perspective, the visit mirrors broader continental conversations on the need for robust national research systems, coordinated funding mechanisms, and strategic infrastructures that support research uptake and impact.
As SGCI member councils continue to share experiences and lessons across Africa, Kenya’s evolving innovation landscape offers valuable insights into how targeted investments and policy alignment can accelerate progress.
Please check out the stories and let us know what you think. We would love to hear from you!
Let’s continue the conversation on our social media
Published on 19 January 2026
Related News
Global South takes centre stage at GRC annual meeting in Bangkok
For the first time in the Global Research Council’s history, a dedicated space was carved out for the Global South, and the conversation it produced is already shaping what comes next. The inaugural GRC South Day, held on the sidelines of the GRC Annual Meeting…
Small cages, big catch: how Malawi fish farmers are thriving
For generations, communities around Malawi’s lakes have depended on wild fish catches for both food and income. But shrinking fish stocks, rising demand, and population growth are putting increasing pressure on capture fisheries, threatening a vital source of nutrition for many households. Now, a project…
Malawi bets on homegrown fertiliser as field trials advance
Field trials testing a locally developed organo-mineral fertiliser are showing early promise in Malawi, with the country’s science funding body taking a hands-on approach to tracking progress. Members of the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) board of commissioners recently visited two of the…
Research and Resources
SGCI funded projects
Rwanda’s integrated approach to sustainable agriculture and nutrition
Project Titles & Institution Areas of Research Number of Projects being funded Project Duration Grant Amount In-Kind Distribution Council Collaboration with other councils
