NRF Advances Research and Innovation Capacity Through Strategic Visit to Konza Technopolis and Kenya AIST

The National Research Fund (NRF) strengthened its engagement in Kenya’s research and innovation ecosystem following a strategic visit to Konza Technopolis City and the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya AIST) on January 13.

The visit was led by Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, and attended by NRF Chief Executive Officer Prof. Dickson Andala.

At Konza Technopolis City, participants observed the city’s ongoing transformation into a digital and innovation hub, including the development of research repositories, a Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) observatory, and platforms designed to promote regional collaboration. The engagement highlighted NRF’s role in mobilizing research financing and supporting innovation infrastructure aligned with Kenya’s national development agenda.

Discussions at Kenya AIST focused on the institute’s emerging position as a centre of excellence for postgraduate science and technology education. NRF explored opportunities to support research aligned with Fourth Industrial Revolution priorities, including digital innovation, artificial intelligence applications, and STEM capacity building.

Through such engagements, NRF continues to deepen partnerships across the STI ecosystem, fund quality research, and accelerate innovation. By linking research financing with strategic collaboration, the Fund is helping to build a safe, impactful, and sustainable research environment that contributes to Kenya’s socio-economic transformation.