By Eddah Waithaka
The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) on Wednesday unveiled a pioneering digital vault to protect the nation’s indigenous knowledge and announced Africa’s first international investment conference for heritage-based enterprises.
The launch of the Heritage-Based Enterprises Initiative sets the stage for the 1st International Investment Conference and Trade Fair on Indigenous Knowledge Intellectual Assets, scheduled for April 2026.
Dr. Evans Taracha, the program’s National Coordinator, revealed the newly established Indigenous Knowledge Innovation Bank (InKiBank).
He described it as a unique, homegrown system to secure and commercialize community wisdom.“It is one of its kind in Africa and perhaps the whole world,” said Dr. Taracha. “It has been designed and developed by Kenyan software engineers. Nobody from outside.”
From Archive to Asset
The program, anchored in Kenya’s Vision 2030, has already documented assets across 13 pilot counties, including Garissa, Kakamega, Kilifi, Marsabit, Murang’a, and Turkana.
It focuses on five key areas: traditional foods, indigenous technologies, traditional medicine, performing arts, and cultural tourism sites.
Officials stressed the bank’s dual role: to preserve heritage and to propel it into the marketplace.“We have protected, and now we’re promoting to develop goods and services out of these unique assets,” Dr. Taracha explained, outlining a plan to open a new growth sector for the national economy.
A Call to Monetize Heritage, Stop ‘Bio-Piracy’
Stephen Munania, Deputy Governor of Murang’a County, issued a powerful call for a mindset shift, framing indigenous knowledge as a tangible economic asset currently being lost.
He cited the example of ‘Muratina,’ a traditional brew. “You go to the UK and find a wine called Muratina. A person is making millions there… What do the people of Murang’a gain? Nothing. Because that intellectual property is not protected.”
“We need to change our mindset,” Munania urged. “This is not just stories that we need to tell. It’s creating a mindset of investment around our indigenous knowledge.”
He argued that sites and stories, from the origin sites of communities to cultural practices, hold immense commercial potential if properly leveraged.
“How do we move past these stories being in the minds of people, to turning them into assets that we can monetize?”
The April 2026 conference, themed “Unlocking Investment Opportunities in Kenya’s Indigenous Wealth,” will connect community asset owners from the 13 counties with investors, the private sector, and development partners.
The initiative draws inspiration from countries like China, India, and Brazil, where culture and heritage contribute significantly to GDP.
“To whom much is given, much is expected,” said NMK leadership, signaling Kenya’s intent to lead Africa in transforming its intangible heritage into inclusive socio-economic transformation.
