Kenya climbed five spots to 97th in the 2026 Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, marking its first entry into the top 100 of the 139 economies assessed.

The country recorded a score of 23.0, up from its previous 102nd place, based on indicators such as research and development, human capital, infrastructure, business activity and innovation outputs.

Within Sub‑Saharan Africa, Kenya placed sixth, behind Mauritius, South Africa, Botswana, Senegal and Rwanda, and ahead of Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia.

Key drivers of the rise included a strong showing in utility model registrations (8th globally), venture capital activity (30th), ICT services exports (30th), late‑stage venture capital (34th) and low‑carbon energy use (11th).

The WIPO report linked Kenya’s progress to growing use of trademarks, utility models and industrial designs, as well as an expanding venture‑capital layer around technology hubs.

Kenya’s fintech ecosystem, noted for mobile money and digital lending, continues to attract foreign investment, while geothermal and wind projects bolster its low‑carbon energy metrics.

The Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) is coordinating with government bodies to improve data reporting, establishing a multi‑agency Global Innovation Index Steering Committee to capture innovation activity more accurately.

During a recent visit, WIPO Director‑General Daren Tang met President William Ruto and attended the Kenya Startup Festival, underscoring the country’s rising profile as a continental innovation hub.

KeNIA acknowledges that Kenya still spends less than 1% of GDP on research and development, below the African Union’s target, and has set an ambition to reach the global top 50, which will require stronger university‑industry links and more financing for early‑stage startups.