Kenya is ranked 102nd out of 139 economies in the newly published Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, released by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). The index evaluates countries’ innovation performance using 80 indicators that cover institutions, human capital, infrastructure, market sophistication, and knowledge and technology outputs. 

The 2025 report indicates that Kenya holds a middle position globally but faces increasing competition both regionally and internationally. While Kenya remains one of the more dynamic economies in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of innovation capacity, the latest ranking highlights challenges in maintaining momentum.

Kenya’s key strengths lie in market sophistication and knowledge diffusion. The country benefits from relatively advanced financial systems, mobile money penetration, and entrepreneurial activity, while also performing quite well in ICT services exports and digital adoption across sectors. However, it lags in research and development investment, human capital, education, and infrastructure. Public and private sector funding for innovation remains limited, there is low investment in tertiary education, and limited research linkages hinder knowledge creation. There are also weaknesses in logistics, electricity reliability, and digital infrastructure that constrain innovation potential.

Kenya has improved its ranking from previous years in several output categories, especially those related to IP (patents, utility models), and in ICT services exports. This demonstrates momentum. Labour productivity growth is also one of the better-ranked aspects for Kenya. However, despite these improvements, Kenya remains below the top performers in many pillars; there is a “middle of the pack” performance, indicating room to catch up and avoid slipping further.

In Africa, South Africa (63rd), Mauritius (72nd), Morocco (75th), and Egypt (85th) continue to outperform Kenya. Notably, Rwanda and Tanzania have made incremental progress, closing the gap with Kenya. Kenya’s current ranking reflects a decline compared to its earlier strong performance in the GII, where it was consistently among the top three African innovation leaders. This change highlights the need for renewed policy focus on science, technology, and innovation.

The report emphasises that economies aiming to boost innovation must strengthen links between universities, research institutions, and industry. For Kenya, this involves increasing funding for research and development, establishing innovation centres, expanding technical and vocational training to develop skills for emerging industries, investing in digital and physical infrastructure to support innovation ecosystems, and promoting intellectual property protection and the commercialisation of research.

The Global Innovation Index 2025 clearly indicates: Kenya’s innovation journey is at a critical juncture. While the country maintains strong roots in digital finance and entrepreneurial vigour, it risks losing ground without targeted interventions. To restore its position as a leading innovation hub on the continent, Kenya must intensify investment, skills development, and policy reforms that turn ideas into meaningful economic results.