UoN Engineering Laboratories Modernized through Ksh. 0.5billion World Bank Grant

The modernization of the engineering laboratories at the University of Nairobi (UoN) through the World Bank Project represents a significant advancement in educational infrastructure, aiming to enhance the quality of training provided to engineering students. The investment of about Ksh. 510 million is expected to yield long-term benefits, not only for the students but also for the industry and the broader community.

During a visit by the World Bank Mission on March 6, 2025, Prof. Margret Hutchinson , Ag.Vice Chancellor ,expressed her appreciation for the collaboration between the University, the government, and the World Bank. She highlighted the project's potential to produce skilled graduates capable of impacting positively on their communities through effective project design. This initiative  was borne from the broader partnership  of  establishing  a Centre of excellence for Land Acquisition and Resettlement (CELAR) in Africa by the World Bank.

Mr. Suleiman Namara, the Practice Manager representing the World Bank Mission director, acknowledged the success of this collaboration and the satisfaction of key stakeholders. He hailed the project's impact on student enrollment, particularly encouraging more female students to pursue STEM subjects, and emphasized the importance of connecting academia with industry to foster innovation and employability. "The World Bank's interest is in projects that make impacts at scale and speed and this project fits that bill" he said. 

Josephat Sasia, the World Bank Project Engineer, reiterated the World Bank's commitment to human capital development through partnerships with institutions of excellence, such as UoN. He explained that the modernization of the laboratories is essential for addressing social risks in infrastructure development and ensuring that graduates from the faculty are well-equipped to be future engineers  for government and private sector.

Finally, Prof. Siphila Mumenya, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, called for continued support from the World Bank to upgrade additional laboratories for other engineering departments namely Environment and Biosystems, Electrical, and  Geospatial Engineering , further enhancing the University of Nairobi's capacity to train future engineers. This transformative project is set to redefine engineering education in Kenya and build a stronger workforce for the nation's infrastructure development.