Kenya 28, October 2025 - Kenya’s public universities are poised to receive a major financial lift through a KSh 10 billion (about $63.5 million) facility from the African Development Bank (AfDB), aimed at modernizing science, technology, and innovation training across the country.
The funding, part of the Support for Higher Education, Science and Technology (SHES) initiative, is being implemented jointly by AfDB and Kenya’s Ministry of Education. The initiative targets 10 public universities, equipping them with cutting-edge laboratories, digital learning tools and modern teaching infrastructure to improve the quality of STEM education.
According to AfDB’s education project coordinator, the investment seeks to position Kenyan institutions as regional leaders in technology and innovation. The project includes developing three centers of excellence focused on engineering, applied sciences, and emerging technologies. Each center will partner with industry and private sector players to bridge the gap between academia and real-world application.
The program also aims to upskill university faculty through targeted training and research exchanges while fostering innovation among students. It supports Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the government’s efforts to expand access to job-relevant technical education.
By the time it concludes in 2030, the project is expected to have trained more than 20,000 students and academic staff, established over 30,000 internship placements, and planted nearly 14,000 trees in support of green campus initiatives.
Officials describe the investment as a strategic push to make Kenya a continental hub for science and technology excellence, nurturing the next generation of innovators and researchers.
