Kenya Drops Out of Global Innovation Top 100 Ranking

Kenya has fallen out of the top 100 countries in the Global Innovation Index (GII), raising fresh concerns about the country’s declining competitiveness in science, technology, and research. The latest rankings, released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), show Kenya slipping due to weak investment in research and development (R&D), low patent output, and declining startup funding.

For years, Kenya was celebrated as Africa’s Silicon Savannah, ranking among the top innovation hubs on the continent thanks to fintech breakthroughs like M-Pesa, mobile agriculture platforms, and a vibrant startup ecosystem. However, the 2024 report points to reduced government funding, brain drain, and policy uncertainty as major factors behind the country’s drop.

The report also shows that Kenya continues to lag behind continental innovation leaders like Mauritius, South Africa, and Ghana, who improved their positions through stronger research policies and increased technology manufacturing capacities.

Innovation experts have warned that without urgent reforms—including tax incentives for tech firms, increased R&D funding, and protection of intellectual property—Kenya risks losing its regional leadership in the digital economy to emerging competitors like Rwanda and Nigeria.

The Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy has yet to issue an official response to the latest rankings, though government officials have previously blamed global economic slowdowns and reduced venture capital flows for affecting the local innovation landscape.