Kenya has formally launched a data sharing framework to govern how satellite and Earth observation data are shared across different agencies.
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) launched the Kenya Earth Observation Data Sharing Framework 2026 in partnership with the British High Commission, the Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS), and VIFFA Consult.
As part of this framework, the National Earth Observation Data Council (NEODC) is created. NEODC’s work will be to oversee and coordinate how space-derived data is managed.
“The Council will serve as the central body responsible for the coordination, oversight, and strategic direction of EO data management in Kenya,” reads part of KSA’s statement.
It will also manage how valuable information from space is shared across government, academia, the private sector, and Kenya’s development partners.
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“We need structured data sharing systems to unlock the full value of Earth observation data and enhance its use in national development,” said Brigadier Hillary Kipkosgey, KSA Director General.
Today’s framework launch follows a stakeholder meeting held back in February that brought together Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), Konza Technopolis, the ICT Authority, and the Council of Governors to agree on governance structures for exactly this kind of cross-agency coordination.
KMA being a key stakeholder is crucial. With Kenya currently reeling from floods that have caused fatalities, the KSA’s Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model provides a vital lifeline.
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By utilising high-performance computing, it generates 10-day precipitation and temperature forecasts tailored to the nuances of the Kenyan landscape. The model’s ability to map floods and droughts is only as strong as the data fueling it.
Removing institutional barriers between agencies like the KMD and the Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS), this data-sharing framework ensures the necessary information flows without interruption.
The framework’s launch also precedes the Global Data Festival, which Kenya is hosting in June.
Kenya entered the era of operational space exploration on April 15, 2023, with the successful launch of Taifa-1, its inaugural Earth observation satellite.
The Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Malindi serves as a hub for ground station infrastructure, providing the link for transmitting and receiving signals from various space systems and specialised missions.
