Kenya takes the lead as Africa redefines climate finance
M-taka agents at Maendeleo Recovery Facility weighing recyclable materials in Kisumu. The company won the CircularTech Award for digitising waste collection and creating job opportunities.
At the 13th Sankalp Africa Summit held at the Sarit Expo Centre, over 1,500 delegates, including 200 investors and 400 startups from the Global South witnessed a major shift in Africa's economic direction.
Kenyan innovators dominated, winning three of the five top awards at the Sankalp Africa Awards 2026.
Nairobi's Silicon Savannah has proven it is more than just a regional tech hub. At the 13th Sankalp Africa Summit held at the Sarit Expo Centre, over 1,500 delegates, including 200 investors and 400 startups from the Global South witnessed a major shift in Africa's economic direction. Kenyan innovators dominated, winning three of the five top awards at the Sankalp Africa Awards 2026. Their success underscored the summit's theme, 'South-South Rising: Building Bold Futures Together,' signalling Africa's determination to chart its own course beyond reliance on the Global North.
Since its launch in 2009, the Sankalp Forum has channelled $800 million into impact-focused ventures that prioritise social and environmental returns. For Kenyans, this capital influx validates a maturing ecosystem transitioning from paternalistic aid to collaborative, investment-based models. Christiane Haziyo, a programme manager at the EU Delegation to Zambia and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, noted a major political shift underway, with the EU pivoting toward green growth and industrialisation. Through initiatives like the Global Gateway, which plans to invest €150 billion in Africa, the focus has moved to building self-sustaining infrastructure rather than relying on grant cycles.
