Maseno: Telecommunications giant Safaricom, through the M-Pesa Foundation, has begun constructing a state-of-the-art ICT Hub at Maseno University in a Sh120 million partnership aimed at deepening digital learning, innovation, and community empowerment. The facility, dubbed the M-Pesa Foundation Maseno University ICT Hub, is expected to serve as a centre of excellence for technology-driven education and research while also providing ICT training to surrounding communities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
According to Kenya News Agency, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Julius Nyabundi, in a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr. Stephen Ogendo during the launch at Maseno University, described the project as a milestone in the university's long-standing commitment to digital literacy. Prof. Nyabundi emphasized that the hub is not just a building but a strategic investment in human capital and an extension of their commitment to digital literacy. Since 2013, IT has been a compulsory component of all undergraduate programs, and the new hub will elevate this commitment from a curriculum requirement to a dynamic, real-world ecosystem.
The facility will offer training in basic computer packages, digital entrepreneurship for small businesses, and other IT-based skills critical for the modern economy. Prof. Nyabundi added that it will also support research, innovation, and community development, which are the three pillars of Maseno University's mandate. Dr. Ogendo noted that the collaboration would enhance the university's teaching capacity and expand access to digital resources beyond the student community, with the hub being open to the public for formal and informal IT learning.
M-Pesa Foundation Trustee and Senior Counsel John Ohaga highlighted the project's alignment with Safaricom's vision of transforming communities through technology. He stated that the M-Pesa Foundation operates on three primary pillars: education, health, and environment, with this project focusing on education. Ohaga emphasized that being a technology-led company, technology is central to how Safaricom delivers education initiatives, and the hub will help prepare young people for a digital future. The Foundation is fully funding the project, covering all infrastructure and equipment costs, and has committed Sh7 billion in the 2026-2027 financial year towards furthering its national education, health, and environmental programmes.
Dr. Calvins Otieno, Dean of the School of Computing and Informatics, expressed that the project will greatly enhance digital training capacity. He noted that the partnership will help produce graduates who are marketable and ready to provide technology-based solutions for Kenya's growing economy. The facility is expected to be ready and fully operational by January 2026, integrating into the university's existing IT programmes.