At a time of rapid technological change, shifting geopolitics, and shrinking development budgets, governments, practitioners, and development partners will gather in Nairobi for a global conversation about the future of data and space technology for a more resilient future.
Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference
When: June 2–5, 2026
Where: The Edge Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
Details: www.gdfksec2026.org
Hosted by the Government of Kenya; co-organized by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the Kenya Space Agency (KSA), and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD). Opening ceremony with remarks by H.E. Deputy President Republic of Kenya Prof Kithure Kindiki.
The Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference kicks off on Tuesday, June 2, at The Edge Convention Centre in Nairobi.
These are two established and exciting events that join forces in Nairobi. For the Global Data Festival it marks a milestone as it is the first edition hosted in Africa, and Kenya is the perfect place for it.
The event brings together global data and space communities to exchange, learn, innovate, and co-create a bold agenda to harness the power of data in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.
The Festival & Expo’s first day culminates with a ceremony rooted in Kenya and the region’s place in the human story as the cradle of civilization and as one of the most dynamic hubs of data and technology innovation on the continent. Throughout the week, conversations remain focused on the people and communities that data represent and affect, and what it takes to ensure data and technology deliver a sustainable and resilient future for all.
Joining Forces for a Stronger Future
The coming together of the two events reflects a convergence of work across the development data and space sectors. But this partnership goes further: it responds to a critical need to align priorities, mobilize investment, and deploy data and space technology to meet the pressing development challenges the world is facing.
The data and space communities have long been deeply interlinked and working on the same challenges. This week, we will come together. At a time when budgets are shrinking, technology is advancing rapidly, and governments are increasingly pressured to do more with less, that alignment is powerful and necessary.
This week, the Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference, along with co-organizer Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, are making that alignment a physical reality. Together, they are bringing together their respective communities to mobilize investment, sharpen priorities, and build the connections that ensure good data and space-derived intelligence translate into strong outcomes.
Kenya’s Leadership at the Center
Kenya is the right place for that conversation. It is one of the continent’s most active hubs for data and technology innovation, home to a national space program, a statistical office leading the way on inclusive data, and a government that has made data sovereignty a political priority.
What to Expect This Week
Nairobi this week is where the people who are shaping the future of data and space intelligence come together to build our futures.
The program includes more than 100 sessions, spanning high-level discussions with prolific leaders, peer exchanges, hands-on workshops, and catalytic conversations. Key themes across the week include:
Data sovereignty and the right of governments to govern their own data systems
Investment in national data and space infrastructure as a political and economic priority
AI and emerging technologies: governance, risk, and the Global South’s role in shaping the landscape
Inclusive data and ensuring no one is left out of the systems that shape decisions about their lives
Cultivating partnerships and collaboration to accelerate development progress
Why it Matters: From the Organizers
“Development today depends on the accuracy of data, the timeliness of data, and how we trust that data. Kenya has invested in building systems that are ours — and this week, we invite the world to build with us.”
— Ambassador Philip Thigo, Special Envoy on Technology, Office of the President, Kenya
“The merger happening here reflects the growing convergence between statistics, geospatial information, satellite data, and emerging technologies such as AI. This week is about building those connections — so that the systems we invest in actually talk to each other, and serve people.”
—Dr. Macdonald George Obudho, Director General, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics
“Earth observation allows us to monitor the state of the Earth from space without limitations. From that vantage point, we can assess agricultural performance, monitor natural resources, and support both socio-economic development and national security. Space intelligence is no longer a luxury. It is infrastructure.”
— Brigadier Hillary Kipkosgey, Acting Director-General, Kenya Space Agency
“We are in a moment that demands partnerships. The Festival & Expo is designed to facilitate that across the data and space communities, bringing together people who want to find, share, and co-create actionable ideas, practical coalitions, commitments, and tools to drive change using data and technology. I am very much looking forward to the creativity, collaboration, and ideas that will emerge in the coming days, and everything carry forward to other gatherings like the UN World Data Forum and beyond."
— Ms. Jenna Slotin, Interim CEO, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data
About the Organizers
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) is the principal agency for the collection, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of official statistics in Kenya.
Kenya Space Agency (KSA) coordinates the development and regulation of space science and technology in Kenya, including earth observation and satellite systems.
Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) is a global network committed to harnessing the data revolution for sustainable development, bringing together governments, civil society, and the private sector.
Media Contact
Lizzy Hvide, Associate Director of Communications.
Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference
www.gdfksec2026.org
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