Kenya, May. 21 ___ A delegation from the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC), together with Lesotho’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Ambassador Ntšiuoa Sekete, has undertaken a strategic benchmarking visit to Konza Technopolis, widely referred to as Africa’s “Silicon Savannah.”

The visit took place on the margins of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of Lesotho’s drive to strengthen its industrialisation and investment promotion agenda.

The LNDC delegation was led by General Manager for Development Finance, Ms. Marina Bizabani, and Acting General Manager for Investment and Trade Promotion, Ms. Phomotso Majodina. The team also engaged with senior officials at the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST), one of Kenya’s flagship institutions supporting innovation, artificial intelligence, and advanced research within the Konza ecosystem. They were received by Acting Principal Prof. Jennifer Wanjiku Khamasi.

The benchmarking mission aligns with LNDC’s newly launched Letsema Strategy, which seeks to draw lessons from successful African models of special economic zones, smart cities, and innovation-driven industrial hubs. The aim is to strengthen Lesotho’s long-term industrial growth, investment attraction, skills development, and economic transformation.

Speaking during the engagement, Ms. Bizabani, said the visit offered practical insights into how African countries are leveraging technology, innovation and integrated planning to stimulate economic growth.

“Konza Technopolis demonstrates the transformative potential of visionary planning, innovation ecosystems, and strategic public-private partnerships. As LNDC advances the Letsema Strategy, we are keen to expose key Basotho stakeholders to practical models that can help unlock investment, industrialisation, and youth empowerment in Lesotho,” she said.

Ms. Majodina, emphasized the importance of regional learning in accelerating development goals. “This benchmarking mission is critical in helping Lesotho understand how specialised economic zones can attract investment, stimulate entrepreneurship, and create sustainable jobs. There are valuable lessons from Kenya’s experience that can inform Lesotho’s development trajectory,” she noted.

Ambassador Sekete underscored the role of economic diplomacy and African cooperation in building future-ready economies, particularly through science, technology, and innovation.

“Africa’s development future will increasingly depend on innovation, technology, and the capacity of our young people to participate meaningfully in the digital economy. Lesotho is committed to building strategic partnerships that benefit Basotho, particularly in STEAM education, artificial intelligence, research, and innovation,” she said adding "We will continue working with our diplomatic and institutional counterparts to concretise mutually beneficial collaboration.”

The delegation also toured Konza Technopolis Special Economic Zone, guided by Project Manager Mr. Alexander Kamunyu, who highlighted ongoing developments in digital infrastructure, smart systems, innovation incubation, and investor facilities aimed at positioning Kenya as a continental technology and innovation hub.

The benchmarking visit reaffirmed Lesotho’s commitment to learning from leading African innovation ecosystems and strengthening strategic partnerships that drive industrial competitiveness.

Insights drawn from Konza Technopolis are expected to inform the implementation of the Letsema Strategy, positioning Lesotho to better harness technology, attract investment, and advance sustainable economic transformation in line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

Image by Konza