Konza Technopolis, Kenya | February 20, 2026
By Peter Ongalo
The African Centre for Technology Studies has officially broken ground on its new office complex at Konza Technopolis, marking a historic milestone in the institution’s journey to advance science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development across Africa.
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.
A Vision Realised
For ACTS leadership, the moment represented more than the start of construction—it symbolised decades of vision, resilience, and institutional growth.
Reflecting on the milestone, Prof. Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, Chair of the ACTS Governing Council, described the groundbreaking as the fulfilment of a long-held dream for the organisation to establish a permanent home dedicated to innovation and knowledge generation.
He recalled an early moment in his academic career when a university department existed only as an idea marked by a single tree—an experience that taught him to believe in vision before infrastructure.
“Today, as we gather to break ground for the ACTS Konza Complex, I do not merely point to this site and say, ‘This is where it will be.’ I declare with confidence: this is the future of ACTS.”
Strengthening Africa’s Innovation Ecosystem
The new ACTS Complex will be constructed on a 2.1-acre parcel, with Phase One featuring a four-storey facility designed to foster research collaboration, innovation partnerships, technology commercialisation, and talent development. Construction is expected to take approximately 45 weeks.
Speaking during the ceremony, ACTS Executive Director Prof. Tom Ogada emphasised the strategic importance of the investment:
“This groundbreaking reflects our conviction that Africa’s future will be shaped by science, technology, and bold partnerships. The ACTS Complex will provide a practical platform to translate evidence into solutions through collaboration, capacity-building, and innovation.”
The facility will serve as a regional hub for policy research, innovation partnerships, technology transfer, and skills development—contributing directly to Kenya’s knowledge economy and digital transformation agenda.
ACTS and the Konza Journey
ACTS’ engagement with Konza Technopolis began in 2023, when members of the Governing Council visited the smart city to explore collaboration opportunities. Inspired by Konza’s ambition to become Africa’s leading innovation hub, the Council identified the Technopolis as an ideal environment to expand ACTS’ digital innovation agenda.
In 2025, ACTS relocated its headquarters to Konza, joining a growing ecosystem of researchers, innovators, technology companies, and academic institutions shaping Africa’s sustainable development future.
Konza Technopolis CEO John Paul Okwiri welcomed ACTS as a strategic institutional investor:
“ACTS’ investment signals strong confidence in Kenya’s research and innovation potential. As an anchor institution, ACTS strengthens our vision of a Smart City where research, enterprise, and government converge to deliver real impact, enable jobs, and accelerate sustainable development.”
Advancing Inclusive and Responsible Innovation
From its new base at Konza Technopolis, ACTS continues to implement programmes that drive inclusive and technology-enabled development across Africa.
Through the Gender, Youth and Inclusive Development (GYID) Programme, ACTS promotes equitable innovation by empowering women, youth, and marginalised communities to benefit from science, technology, and innovation opportunities. Its flagship Green and Digital Innovation Hub (gDIH) supports Kenyan MSMEs navigating green and digital transitions across agriculture, energy, ICT, and smart cities.
In July 2025, ACTS also launched the ACTS AI Institute (ACAII)—a first-of-its-kind African hub dedicated to responsible Artificial Intelligence research, policy, and innovation. The institute focuses on five strategic pillars:
- AI and Governance
- AI and Jobs
- AI Capacity Building
- Data Science
- AI Solution Development
Together, these initiatives reinforce ACTS’ commitment to ensuring that emerging technologies are developed ethically, inclusively, and aligned with African priorities.
A New Chapter for ACTS
As construction begins, the ACTS Konza Complex represents a bold step toward building an African institution grounded in research excellence, policy influence, and leadership in innovation.
The new facility will not only provide a physical home for ACTS but also serve as a continental platform where ideas, partnerships, and technologies converge to shape Africa’s sustainable future.
Video Recap
Learn More — Media Coverage
Learn more about the groundbreaking ceremony through the media coverage below:
- The Star Kenya — African Centre for Technology Studies breaks ground for new research hub at Konza Technopolis
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-02-21-african-centre-for-technology-studies-breaks-ground-for-new-research-hub-at-konza-technopolis - Kenya Broadcasting Corporation — ACTS breaks ground at Konza Technopolis
https://www.kbc.co.ke/african-centre-for-technology-studies-breaks-ground-at-konza-technopolis/ - Africa Business Communities — Kenya: ACTS breaks ground for new research hub at Konza
https://africabusinesscommunities.com/tech-24/kenya-acts-breaks-ground-for-new-research-hub-at-konza/ - StartUp Kenya — ACTS Konza Technopolis announcement
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/startupkenya_actskenya-konzatechnopolis-researchinnovation-activity-7431639199944163329-7qUO - Aptantech — ACTS to construct four-storey complex at Konza Technopolis
https://aptantech.com/2026/02/23/acts-to-construct-four-story-complex-at-konza-technopolis/
