Kenya’s new National Research Fund (NRF) Board of Trustees

Kenya’s new National Research Fund (NRF) Board of Trustees has taken office with a mandate to strengthen the country’s research system and ensure greater returns from public investment in science and innovation.

The new board, chaired by Dr Thomas Kiprono Serem, assumes office as the government pushes to raise research and development spending to 2 per cent of Kenya’s GDP, placing greater pressure on the country’s research funding institutions to demonstrate how increased investment can translate into national development.

The board’s inauguration was officiated by Prof Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, who called for greater accountability, prudent use of resources and tangible outcomes from the Fund.

The government’s focus on measurable results reflects growing expectations that research should contribute directly to challenges facing the country, including economic growth, technological development, healthcare, agriculture and environmental sustainability. For the NRF, this means expanding research support while strengthening systems for tracking what funded research delivers beyond academic publications.

Abdulrazak urged the incoming trustees to establish clear priorities, strengthen resource mobilisation and ensure the Fund’s programmes remain aligned with national development goals. The priorities place strategic planning and financial stewardship alongside the NRF’s core responsibility of supporting scientific research and innovation.

NRF Chief Executive Officer Prof Dickson Andala welcomed the new board, while Serem pledged to work with trustees and management to strengthen the Fund’s contribution to Kenya’s research and development agenda.

The transition also marks the end of the tenure of outgoing Board Chair Prof Ratemo Michieka, who was recognised for his contribution to the NRF and the wider research sector.

The new leadership takes over at a time when Kenya is seeking to expand the role of research and innovation in its development strategy. Universities, research institutions and private-sector innovators are increasingly expected to generate knowledge that can inform policy, improve services, support businesses and address emerging national challenges.

Achieving those goals, however, will depend not only on how much money is committed to research but also on how effectively it is allocated. The NRF will have to identify priority areas, mobilise additional resources and strengthen mechanisms for assessing whether funded projects are producing scientific, economic or social benefits.

The proposed 2 per cent R&D target would significantly increase the resources available to Kenya’s research system if achieved, making decisions over allocation and oversight increasingly consequential.

As the new trustees begin their term, their task will extend beyond managing research grants. They will help shape which areas of science receive support, how Kenya builds research capacity and how effectively discoveries move from universities and laboratories into policy, industry and communities.

Article by Jed Mwangi

photo courtesy:NRF