Kenya commits to increased investment in science and innovation at Africa Convening

By:  Robert Kwaku Annor

Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening investment in science, research, and innovation during a high-level Africa regional convening co-hosted by Grand Challenges Canada, Science for Africa Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the Wellcome Trust.

Speaking at the meeting, Shaukat Abdulrazak outlined the government’s position on scaling financing for the sector, including a target to allocate at least one percent of GDP toward science, research, and innovation through both public and private sector contributions.

The convening brought together a select group of leaders to align on strategies for concentrating funding into high-impact initiatives, with a focus on coordinated investments, shared risk, and systemic change driven by government leadership.

Abdulrazak emphasized the importance of translating research into commercially viable solutions through scaling strategies, while also highlighting plans to establish research chairs to strengthen institutional capacity.

Participants explored approaches to aligning existing and future commitments in order to unlock greater impact, noting that collaborative funding models could accelerate progress beyond what individual institutions can achieve independently.

The engagement reflects growing momentum across the continent to position science and innovation as central pillars of economic development, with increased focus on commercialization, sustainability, and long-term impact.