Kenya mulls tax incentives to attract research funding

NAIROBI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is considering giving tax incentives to attract funding for research, an official said Thursday.

Micheni Ntiba, Principal Secretary for University Research, said through the National Research Fund (NRF), the government intends to give tax incentives to attract funding from the private sector, philanthropists and development partners.

"We plan to give tax waivers, award schemes and recognitions to attract partners into funding research activities in the country," Ntiba told a forum in Nairobi.

He however noted that due to competing demands from other sectors to the national Treasury, it is unlikely to meet the 2-percent research funding from the gross domestic product (GDP) as planned.

He also said the government is exploring the possibility of introducing contract research, where private sector player's funds target research in addressing an issue for the industry.

The PS observed that failures in attracting additional research funding may become disastrous to the country as key development commitments such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may not be achieved as planned. Enditem