Microsoft to finance Policy Innovation Centre at Strathmore Law School, Nairobi

US tech giant Microsoft has signed a MoU with Strathmore Law School, part of Strathmore University located in Nairobi, Kenya, that will see Microsoft finance the building of a Policy Innovation Centre.

“Strathmore is here to push policy making partnerships between public and private firms. This centre is a frontier for social change and justice,” said Dr Luis Franceschi, the Dean of Strathmore Law School.

The contribution is expected to cost KSh41.2mn ($400,000), with the centre and auditorium being the first of its kind to be established outside of Microsoft’s own office space.

The company’s existing two policy innovation centres are located in Brussels, Belgium and Washington DC, US.

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“With the Fourth Industrial Revolution upon us, new advancements in technology are changing the way we live our lives and how we interact,” said the Director for Government and Regulatory Affairs for Microsoft Middle East and Africa.

“The benefits are endless, having the potential to transform businesses, countries, and make way for innovations for consumers and create economic opportunities.”

The move is not the first investment that Microsoft has taken in Africa, with the firm having launched its 4Afrika initiative four years ago, helping to bring 500,000 SMEs online, upskill 800,000 African people and enable 82 startups to grow from a viable platform.