The country’s Silicon Savannah Innovation Park is an initiative set to address technological gaps on the continent and beyond. Akin to the San Francisco-based Silicon Valley, Kenya is ramping up its efforts to catch up with the technologically advanced nations. However, synergistic coordination would be needed to make a step owing to the scarcity of resources the country has, bringing several partners on board to successfully run the tech-based initiative.
The Silicon Savannah Innovation Park is one of its kind and has been praised as the face of tech advancement that’s aimed at creating jobs in the country and addressing gaps in existing industrial environements in Kenya and beyond. Kenya is partnering with France and the University of Nairobi in realization of the initiative.
The event was presided over by President Ruto at the State House, with key delegations being Hon. Thani Mohamed Soilihi, France’s Ministers of State for Fracophonenie and International Partnership, the University of Nairobi Chancellor, Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen, and the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Dr. Julius Ogamba, among other several attendees.
The government has established a new state-of-the-art Engineering and Science Complex (ESC) at the Chiromo Campus, University of Nairobi, set to run the STEM initiative program to align with Kenya’s Vision 2030, alongside President Ruto’s bottom-up economic model.
France has pumped a whopping €35 million into the initiative, making it one of the largest higher education investments by the French government in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The ESC center is also set to become the largest innovation ecosystem, partnering with Africa’s Silicon Savannah, Konza Technopolis, in driving a technologically aligned industry through various curriculums, including manufacturing, health technology, energy, green and blue engineering, and smart urban planning.
As an academic facility, the Engineering and Science Complex (ESC) is also set to offer an artificial intelligence course, equipping local engineers and scientists with cutting-edge knowledge to bridge the gap of automation and address challenges affecting Africa and beyond.
