ACTS Executive Director Prof. Tom Ogada (left), Konza Technopolis CEO John Paul Okwiri and other officials during the groundbreaking ceremony on February 20, 2026/COURTESY The groundbreaking ceremony, held on Friday, February 20, 2026, was jointly announced by ACTS and the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA), signalling ACTS’ entry into Africa’s Silicon Savannah as an anchor investor in technology and policy research.
Planned on a 2.1-acre parcel within the smart city, the phase one four-storey ACTS Complex will feature modern office spaces, collaboration hubs and facilities designed to advance research, innovation partnerships, technology transfer and commercialisation.
Construction is expected to take approximately 45 weeks.
Speaking during the ceremony, ACTS Executive Director Prof. Tom Ogada described the project as a bold step toward positioning Africa at the forefront of science-driven development.
“This groundbreaking reflects our conviction that Africa’s future will be shaped by science, technology, and bold partnerships,” said Prof. Ogada.
He stated that the complex will provide a practical platform to translate evidence into solutions through collaboration, capacity-building, and innovation.
Once complete, it will serve as a regional hub for policy research and talent development, reinforcing Konza’s mandate to accelerate Kenya’s transition into a knowledge-based economy.
KoTDA CEO John Paul Okwiri welcomed ACTS as a strategic addition to the growing smart city ecosystem.
“ACTS’ investment at Konza Technopolis signals strong confidence in Kenya’s research and innovation potential,” Okwiri said.
As an anchor institution, Okwiri noted that ACTS strengthens its vision of a Smart City where research, enterprise, and government converge to deliver real impact, enable jobs, and accelerate sustainable development.
ACTS now joins a growing list of investors who have broken ground at Konza, including universities, technology firms, residential developers and export-oriented industries operating under the Special Economic Zone framework.
The clustering of academic, research and enterprise institutions is designed to create a live-work-innovate environment that fosters collaboration and economic growth.
Spanning 5,000 acres, Konza Technopolis is envisioned as a science park and innovation hub at the heart of Kenya’s digital transformation strategy.
The city is projected to contribute up to two per cent of the national GDP once fully operational.
As a Special Economic Zone, Konza offers a range of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives aimed at enhancing competitiveness and attracting long-term investment.
Phase one infrastructure is already in place, including modern road networks, reliable utilities, high-speed digital connectivity and smart-city systems that support enterprise and research at scale.
The ACTS Complex will also incorporate sustainability features and smart-building technologies aligned with Konza’s vision of a resilient, future-ready city.
Beyond infrastructure, the facility is expected to anchor structured talent development programmes under ACTS’ research and policy initiatives, advancing inclusive and technology-enabled development across the region.
The investment further strengthens Konza’s ecosystem of academic institutions, including the Open University of Kenya, Riara University, and the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, reinforcing its positioning as a national and regional hub for advanced skills, research and innovation-led growth.
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