The government is sourcing for extra funding for the research sector in order to support and spur the emerging innovations for locally bred ideas.
The move comes even after the national government failed to meet the two per cent allocation threshold of the National Domestic Product (GDP) to fund Research, Science and Innovation as mandated by the 2013 Act.
By enacting this Act, Parliament tasked the National Research Fund with the necessary funding provisions in law to drive innovations and help commercialize research locally.
However, inadequate funding for the sector has seen Kenya being ranked 96th out of 132 countries in the 2024 Global Innovation Index, which measures institutions’ capacity, human capital, research infrastructure and creative outputs.
Consequently, Research, Science and Innovation Principal secretary Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak has said there was a need to boost necessary funding to stimulate and strengthen the uptake of research to address Kenya’s socio-economic challenges.
However, official data from the National Research Fund shows that the National Treasury allocated a mere Sh343 million for research during the financial year 2023/ 2024 out of the possible Sh200 billion target, needed annually as per the 2013 Act.
Out of this funding, the available data shows that 160 research projects were funded and six projects commercialized, while an MoU on Research and Development was signed to the tune of Sh75 million in 2024.
Prof. Abdulrazak however indicated that the government is finalising the development of draft Science, Technology and Innovation policy (2023) to address the existing gaps including adequate financing.
The policy, he said, will help strengthen local institutions involved in research and development to enhance uptake of innovations, which will help curb skills brain drain.
The PS said that the move will be achieved by supporting locally developed innovation prototypes, protecting intellectual property rights (IP), noting that previously Kenya has been robbed of great innovations for lacking adequate legal protections.
Prof. Adulrazak said the state department has also lobbied the parliamentary committee on Education and Research for additional funding needed to catalyze innovations for economic development and wealth creation locally.
At the same time, the PS rooted for more linkages with the diaspora players, the private sector, and venture capitalists to address the remaining funding gap to stimulate research and advance Kenya’s innovation agenda.
Prof. Abdulrazak made the remarks in Naivasha, during the opening of the 4th Multi-Sectoral Conference and Exhibition on Research, Science, Technology and Innovation, being hosted by the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI).
Towards this end, the PS announced a stronger partnership with all the 47 counties to establish incubation centres to nurture, develop and commercialize emerging innovative ideas, especially for youths.
He added that through the Kenya Innovation Agency (KENIA), the government will seek to tap Gen Z’s ideas and enthusiasm, as well as expand funding opportunities to commercialize and monetize their innovations.
“Kenya lags behind in the global innovation index at position 96 and we seek to reverse this by supporting local innovation prototypes and ringfencing intellectual property rights”, said the PS.
On his part, Chair of the National Research Fund, Prof. Ratemo Michieka, said the agency has relied on the national government funding, as well as local and international donors to push for the commercialization of research projects in the country.
Prof. Michieka underscored the need to tap and empower the youthful talents, while funding priority is directed to research activities and areas that will address local solutions to existing and emerging challenges.
On his part, the Chair of Konza Technopolis Development Authority, Prof. Raphael Munavu, cited research, science and technology as key catalysts to the country’s development agenda.
Prof. Munavu said the smart city, the first on the continent, now hosts key facilities that will ensure youths incubate their innovations, commercialize and monetize them.
He said the Technopolis now hosts a data centre supporting over 70 local companies including private and public entities, key to enhancing data protection.
By Erastus Gichohi
