IAA Network Expands with New Members from Tanzania, Uganda, and Cape Verde
Nairobi, Kenya, 11 June 2025 - The Innovation Agencies in Africa (IAA) Network has formally welcomed three new member institutions—the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), and Cape Verde’s Núcleo Operacional para a Sociedade de Informação (NOSi)—following a recent onboarding and integration process. This development marks continued progress in strengthening regional cooperation and advancing national innovation systems in support of Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
The expanded membership reflects alignment with continental and global frameworks, including Agenda 2063, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and national innovation and digital transformation strategies. The IAA Network provides a structured platform for African innovation agencies to coordinate policy development, promote research and development, and support knowledge-sharing initiatives aimed at fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.
The onboarding sessions were held virtually and facilitated by the IAA Network Secretariat, housed at the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), with participation from senior representatives of the new member agencies. COSTECH was represented by Dr. Erasto Mlyuka; UNCST was represented by Geoffery Sempiri, Business Development Specialist (Incubation); and NOSi’s delegation included Maria do Rosário Livramento, Business Innovation Director, and Luisa Chantre, Project Manager at NOSiAkademia.
Established by an Act of Parliament in 1986, COSTECH serves as Tanzania’s principal advisory body to the government on matters related to science, technology, and innovation. UNCST, founded in 1990, coordinates Uganda’s national science and technology development efforts, while NOSi operates under the Government of Cape Verde to promote digital transformation and public sector innovation through information and communication technologies.
The IAA Network was launched in November 2024 during Kenya Innovation Week, with coordination led by KeNIA, Namibia’s National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), and the Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation at the University of Johannesburg. The network is supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF).
As part of its 2025 programme, the IAA Network is undertaking a Training Needs Assessment to inform targeted capacity development across member agencies. In addition, a regional Call for Expressions of Interest is scheduled for July 2025, through which members will have the opportunity to co-develop and lead collaborative innovation initiatives aligned with the network’s focus areas: green innovation, digital transformation, and inclusive innovation.
The addition of COSTECH, UNCST, and NOSi further reinforces the IAA Network’s role as a pan-African mechanism for institutional coordination, peer exchange, and policy harmonization. Through joint efforts, member institutions will continue to contribute to the development of resilient, responsive, and future-oriented innovation systems across the continent.
For more information about the IAA Network and membership opportunities, please visit our membership page.