Latest News & Announcements

The highlight of the closing ceremony was a deeply passionate, future-oriented keynote address delivered by the Chief Guest, Dr. Tonny Omwansa, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA). Having founded Nairobi Innovation Week in 2015 while serving as a faculty member at UoN, Dr. Omwansa returned to share a vision establishing the university's unique, disproportionate responsibility in shaping Kenya's economic future.

Organised under the theme "Youth-Driven Solutions for a Sustainable Future," this year's edition brings together innovators, researchers, students, industry partners, government agencies, development organisations, and start-ups for a full day of activities including an Opening Ceremony; Keynote Addresses; Innovation and Thematic Exhibitions; Poster Presentations; Innovators’ Pitching Competition; Startup and Youth Engagements; Industry, Research and Innovation Partnership Forums; and One-On-One Career Advice for Students.

The University of Nairobi is strategically positioning itself to bolster the management of  its intellectual property (IP) and innovation pipeline through leveraging its partnership with the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA).  

Three engineering student teams from the University of Nairobi have secured direct entry into Jacob’s Ladder Africa’s GreenLabs Incubator after standout performances at student-led Green Tech Conference 4.0.

Innovation and commercialisation are no longer peripheral activities, but the bedrock of the University’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Margaret Jesang Hutchinson, made these remarks on March 25, 2026, during the Research and Innovation Week (RIW) 2025 Innovators’ Award Ceremony organised by the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) Division.

The University of Nairobi is actively seeking to strengthen ties with strategic industry partners in its approach to creativity and commercialization. Professor Maina Wagacha, Director of Innovation and Intellectual Property Management, noted that while the University was traditionally viewed as an isolated Ivory Tower, it is proactively reaching out to industry leaders to ensure innovation becomes a permanent part of its culture and focus. Prof.

The University of Nairobi (UoN) has been recognised for sustaining the bold commitment to redefining higher education.  In a special "Member Recognition" feature, by the Network of Entrepreneurial Institutions Leaders (NEIL), the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Margaret Hutchinson, was celebrated for the institution’s shift toward producing graduates that are equipped with the tools to solve real-world problems and build sustainable ventures.

"Access to justice begins with access to information. SheriaPal is about simplifying the law so that it serves the people it was created to protect." — Gathoni Gikonyo, Founder

On Tuesday, 20 January 2026 the Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO) of the Research,
Innovation, and Enterprise (RIE) Division joined other key stakeholders at a forum to discuss the status
of counterfeiting in Nairobi City County and strategies for strengthening the multiagency approach to
curbing this form of illicit trade.

The IPMO office, led by Director Prof. Maina Wagacha, Eng. John Maina and Ms. Cherry Tay visited the  Mazaao group of companies at the Agitech Seedlings Company in Embu on 15th November 2025, to explore partnerships for the training, research, and commercialization of agricultural innovations.