Groundbreaking Silicon Savannah Innovation Park (New Engineering and Science Complex) Launched at UoN in Partnership with France

At State House today, the President of the Republic of Kenya,  Dr William S. Ruto, CDH, and the University of Nairobi (UoN) proudly announced Kenya’s Silicon Savannah Innovation Parkinitiative initiated together with France’s Minister of State for Francophonie and International Partnerships, Hon. Thani Mohamed Soilihi, on behalf of President Emmanuel Macron. This new Innovation Park is initiated with a state-of-the-art Engineering and Science Complex (ESC), marking a new era in higher-education, research, and innovation in Kenya and across Africa. This €35 million initiative, France’s largest higher education investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, is a pivotal component of UoN’s transformative Big 5 Agenda, as spearheaded by the University’s Chancellor, Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen, enhancing the university’s global leadership in science, technology, engineering and sustainability.

Situated at the Chiromo Campus in Nairobi, the ESC serves as the cornerstone launching initiative of the Silicon Savannah Innovation Park, aligning with Kenya’s Vision 2030 for the bottom-up transformation of the nation into a newly industrializing middle-income country. This strategic initiative is made possible through a partnership between the University of Nairobi, the Government of Kenya, and the French government, facilitated by the Agence Française de Développement, in cooperation with six renowned French higher-education institutions – CentraleSupélec, Université Paris-Saclay, ParisTech group with AgroParisTech, Chimie ParisTech - PSL, Mines Paris – PSL, Ecole des Ponts ParisTech. The new UoN Innovation Park will serve as a critical transmission belt to bring solutions to market in partnership with industry as a part of the national technological “Silicon Savannah” ecosystem inclusive the Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s first technology and innovation city.

Transforming Education and Innovation for a Sustainable Green Future

The ESC is not just an academic facility but a full innovation ecosystem relying on cutting-edge international and multi-disciplinary research, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and government for the benefit of society. 

The Complex will house research centers and industry-aligned curricula in areas such as AI, manufacturing, health technology, energy, green and blue engineering, and smart urban planning, with a special focus on empowering women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The ESC is sustainably designed adhering to environmental certification and standards to embody Kenya and France's commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement. By integrating state-of-the-art resources within a dynamic academic ecosystem, it aims to produce a new generation of industry-ready engineers and scientists equipped to address 21st-century challenges in Africa and beyond. The ESC and its allied programs will provide a platform for local and global enterprises to engage with Kenya’s brightest minds. 

Speaking at the launch event at State House, President of the Republic of Kenya, Dr William S. Ruto, C.G.H, emphasized the national significance of the initiative: "I am encouraged by the ambition of the Big 5 initiatives, spearheaded by the visionary leadership of Professor Patrick Verkooijen, Chancellor of the University of Nairobi. I have full confidence in his leadership and want to make it clear that my administration is fully behind and empowering the Chancellor to lead a total transformation of this nation’s greatest higher learning institution, leveraging on all the research, assets, and partnerships of the University of Nairobi to bring it on a sustainable footing as a world class tertiary actor. The University of Nairobi should serve not only as Africa’s Ivory Tower but as Africa’s digital innovation centerpiece. In that light, the Silicon Savannah Innovation Park is more than an infrastructure project  – it is an investment in our people, our future, and our standing. Kenya will not only participate in the fifth industrial revolution, we will lead it.”

Hon. Julius Migos Ogamba, E.B.S., Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education

“The launch of this Engineering and Science complex is the beginning of a transformative set  of initiatives being spearheaded by the Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, Professor Patrick Verkooijen. This innovation park will seek to consolidate the University of Nairobi’s place as a leading innovator and a hub of entrepreneurship. The Big 5 pillars that the Chancellor is spearheading will transform the University into a fit for purpose institution for a resilient and sustainable future. This transformative agenda embodies what we envision for tertiary education in Kenya.” 

Hon. Thani Mohamed Soilihi, French Minister of State for Francophonie and International Partnerships, added:
"France is proud to stand alongside Kenya in this bold initiative, supported by President Macron,  to advance higher-education, innovation, and sustainability. The Engineering and Science Complex is a testament to our shared vision for a future driven by knowledge, collaboration, and excellence in the Silicon Savannah."

Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, stated:
"The Engineering and Science Complex in the Silicon Savannah Innovation Park represents a bold leap forward, not just for the University of Nairobi, but for Kenya and Africa as a whole. As the cornerstone of our transformative Big 5 Agenda, this initiative embodies our ambition to make UoN a global leader in innovation, sustainability, and artificial intelligence. Through the integration of the Silicon Savannah Innovation Park and the Nairobi School of AI, we are creating an ecosystem where cutting-edge research meets entrepreneurship, where global partnerships drive local solutions, and where the next generation of African leaders is equipped to shape a sustainable, equitable future. The Silicon Savannah Innovation Park is more than just buildings; it is the heart of a movement to unlock Africa’s potential through knowledge, technology, and collaboration."