IAA Network Marks Implementation Milestone as Member Agencies Present Strategic Initiative Progress
Nairobi, 16 April 2026 — The Innovation Agencies in Africa Network held its third Steering Committee meeting on 16 April 2026, bringing together senior representatives from member agencies to review progress on the Network's strategic initiatives. The session marked an early but substantive shift from institutional planning toward implementation, with member agencies presenting their respective workplans for advancing cross-border innovation programming on the continent.
Discussions spanned a range of strategic priorities, including joint innovation programming, financial sustainability, shared scientific infrastructure, and the commercialisation of innovation products across African markets. Several agencies reported concrete progress, while others presented conceptual frameworks for Steering Committee input ahead of implementation. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) featured as a recurring reference point, with multiple agencies identifying it as a relevant instrument for facilitating the cross-border movement of innovation-based products and services.
The meeting also addressed the IAA Network's engagement with continental institutions, including the African Union and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). The Secretariat confirmed that initial institutional engagement was under way, with formal partnership processes advancing. Member agencies noted that alignment with established continental frameworks, including the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2034 (STISA 2034) and Agenda 2063, remained central to the Network's positioning and long-term institutional standing.
Delegates agreed on a set of near-term actions to sustain implementation momentum, including the circulation of a standardised progress reporting framework to all member agencies. A Focal Persons follow-up meeting is scheduled for mid this year, with the next physical Steering Committee meeting planned for later in the year in Namibia, to be aligned with a suitable continental forum.
The Innovation Agencies in Africa Network
The IAA Network, established in November 2024, currently comprises nine national innovation agencies supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. The Network's Secretariat is hosted by the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) in Nairobi.
For more, please reach out to us via communications@iaanetwork.org.