Advancing Industrial Development in Kenya through Innovation Spaces: The Case for the North Rift Green Industrial Park in Baringo County 

The North Rift Green Industrial Park (NRGIP) in Baringo County is a transformative initiative aimed at positioning Kenya as a regional leader in industrialization and high-tech manufacturing. Powered by renewable geothermal energy from Paka Hills, NRGIP will integrate advanced manufacturing, smart city infrastructure, and sustainable industrial practices to drive economic growth, job creation, and regional trade. Global experience demonstrates that science and industrial parks play a critical role in fostering innovation-driven economies. NRGIP builds upon lessons from Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s flagship smart city, integrating best practices in digital infrastructure, research-industry linkages, and public-private partnerships. This paper explores NRGIP’s strategic importance, its alignment with Kenya’s Vision 2030, and its potential to drive industrial transformation, offering a model for sustainable industrialization in Africa.  

By leveraging best practices from global innovation parks such as Malaysia’s Penang Science Park, South Korea’s Daedeok Innopolis and experience from Konza Technopolis, NRGIP will accelerate Kenya’s transition to a high-value, knowledge-based economy.