The University of Nairobi’s C4DLab today officially opened the AFRETEC Makerthon 2026, marking the beginning of a five-day innovation sprint that brings together student innovators from leading African and global universities.
The Makerthon, which runs from 16–20 March 2026, provides a collaborative environment where multidisciplinary student teams rapidly design, prototype and test solutions to real-world challenges. Hosted at the C4DLab innovation hub, the event reflects the University of Nairobi’s commitment to advancing innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-driven problem solving across the continent.
Opening Ceremony
The opening session brought together key leaders from the University of Nairobi and the AFRETEC innovation network. In their remarks, speakers emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for students to experiment, collaborate and build practical solutions that respond to societal needs.
The opening ceremony was attended by:
Dr. Sam Ruhiu, representing AFRETEC Network – the Pathways to Opportunities Pillar Head
Prof. Elisha Abade, Chair of Department- Department of Computing and Infomatics
Prof. Francis Nyongesa, Ag. Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology
Prof. George Abong’, Director of University Advancement and Institutional Development and AFRETEC Coordinator, University of Nairobi
Prof. Maina Wagacha, Director of the Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO), who also represented the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise (DVC-RIE)
Speakers highlighted the critical role universities play in nurturing innovation ecosystems and supporting student-led solutions that have the potential to grow into impactful technologies and ventures.
A Pan-African Innovation Collaboration
The Makerthon has attracted participation from students representing a diverse network of universities, creating a vibrant platform for cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge exchange. Participating institutions include:
The American University in Cairo
Al Akhawayn University
Universidade Agostinho Neto
CMU-Africa
Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
University of Lagos
University of Nairobi
University of Rwanda
University of the Witwatersrand
Bringing together students from these institutions creates an environment where ideas, experiences and perspectives converge, strengthening collaboration across Africa’s innovation landscape.
From Ideas to Prototypes
Throughout the week, teams will work intensively to transform their ideas into tangible prototypes. Guided by mentors and technical experts, participants will move through a structured process that includes:
Identifying and refining real-world problems
Designing practical and scalable solutions
Developing working prototypes
Preparing and presenting innovation pitches
The Makerthon encourages rapid experimentation and hands-on learning, enabling students to gain valuable experience in design thinking, engineering, teamwork and entrepreneurship.
Building Africa’s Innovation Future
Events such as the AFRETEC Makerthon play an important role in strengthening Africa’s innovation ecosystem by empowering students to take bold ideas from concept to prototype within a collaborative environment. By connecting universities, mentors and innovation hubs, the initiative creates pathways for promising solutions to evolve beyond the Makerthon into future research, startups or community-driven projects.
As the week progresses, teams will continue refining their prototypes and preparing for the final pitch sessions, where they will present their solutions to a panel of experts.
The Makerthon at the University of Nairobi C4DLab is a celebration of creativity, collaboration and the growing power of student-led innovation across Africa.