Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU)

What Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU) does

Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU) is a Quaker-founded public university chartered in 2014 under Kenya's Universities Act, 2012, headquartered in Kaimosi, Vihiga County, Western Kenya, and operating three campuses (Kaimosi flagship, Kobujoi opened September 2025 in Nandi County, and Vokoli) with a fourth Health Sciences college in community consultation. The university delivers 38+ accredited programmes across five schools — Business & Economics, Computing & IT, Education & Social Sciences, Health Sciences, and Science — from certificate to doctoral level, including one of only two Optometry PhD pathways in Kenya, and serves KUCCPS-sponsored undergraduates, Module II self-sponsored students, postgraduates, international students, and Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) cohorts.

The technology stack centres on a digital services hub with single sign-on: a cloud-based Learning Management System (elearning.kafu.ac.ke), a Student Portal (portal.kafu.ac.ke) handling admissions, fees, results and helpdesk, a Library Portal with JSTOR and research database access, a fee payment portal accepting M-Pesa and bank transfer, and an Institutional Repository hosting 21+ open-access scholarly records. The ICT Directorate centrally manages identity and Wi-Fi across campuses. Applied research outputs include an IoT-based smart queue management system (60% wait-time reduction at Vihiga County Huduma Centre), a CNN-based Maize Streak Virus detection model, and citizen-facing complaint portals developed by SCIT researchers.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: tuition and academic fees from KUCCPS-sponsored, Module II self-sponsored, postgraduate, international and ODeL pathways; Kenyan Ministry of Education operational funding; externally funded research grants (KES 19.5M active domestic + USD 2.3M international across USAID, AfDB, ICT Authority, FSD Kenya, AMREF, NRF); enterprise and commercial operations from the University Farm (dairy, crops, poultry, aquaculture, apiary); ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification services; on-campus accommodation and welfare fees; and procurement tenders. Customer segments are horizontal — primarily prospective and enrolled students across Kenya, plus international applicants — distributed via KUCCPS national placement, the KAFU Student Portal, the ODeL platform, WhatsApp admissions, secondary school outreach, and an annual International Conference and Innovation Week.

Name

Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU)

Legal name

Kaimosi Friends University

Website

https://kafu.ac.ke

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU) is a Quaker-founded Kenyan public university, chartered 2014, operating three campuses across Western Kenya and delivering 38+ accredited programmes from certificate to PhD across five schools, with research grant income, ODeL distance learning, and one of only two Optometry PhD pathways in Kenya.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHABAJ

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Private Research Universities

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University degree programs
• Postgraduate research training
• Distance e-learning
• Academic research grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Kaimosi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue from tuition fees charged across undergraduate (KUCCPS and self-sponsored/Module II) and postgraduate (Masters and PhD) programmes. Fee structures are published annually per academic year (e.g., 2025/2026). Self-sponsored students pay higher Module II fees. Additional academic charges include registration, examination, library, and activity fees.
2. Government Funding and Grants: Public university receives government operational funding through the Ministry of Education. Additional research grant funding from government agencies including ICT Authority, Kenya National Research Fund (NRF), and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for quality management system audits.
3. Research Grants: Externally funded research grants from international donors, development agencies, and Kenyan government bodies. Active grants include USAID/KES 6.2M for WASH research, African Development Bank/KES 5M for agroforestry, FSD Kenya/KES 3.2M for fintech research, and ICT Authority/KES 4.5M for digital public service delivery innovation.
4. Enterprise and Commercial Operations: Income-generating activities from the University Farm including dairy production, crop farming, greenhouse farming, poultry, aquaculture, apiary development, and other commercial ventures managed by the Directorate of Enterprise and Resource Mobilization.
5. ISO Certification and Quality Services: Revenue from quality management system certification processes and related consultancy services following KEBS ISO 9001:2015 standards.
6. Accommodation and Boarding: Revenue from student hostel accommodation (on-campus) and related welfare services, including vetting of off-campus private hostels.
7. Procurement Tenders: Revenue from procurement processes including tender document fees and contractual services (e.g., ground maintenance, landscaping services procured through competitive tendering per Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Kaimosi Friends University is a Kenyan public university that delivers accredited higher education programmes across five schools — Business & Economics, Computing & IT, Education & Social Sciences, Health Sciences, and Science — from certificate through doctoral level. It offers on-campus instruction at three campuses in Western Kenya and an Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) mode for remote learners. Teaching, applied research, community outreach, and consultancy services (including KEBS ISO 9001:2015 quality systems work) constitute the core academic offering.

Product overview

Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU) operates a comprehensive digital higher education ecosystem consisting of internal student-facing portals (Student Portal, E-Learning LMS, Library Portal, Fee Payment Portal), administrative systems (Application Tracking, ICT Helpdesk), and the Institutional Repository for open access research. The ODeL Directorate manages distance learning programmes, while the University also organizes the Annual International Conference and Innovation Week as a flagship academic event. All digital systems use centralized identity management with single sign-on (SSO) via @kafu.ac.ke credentials managed by the ICT Directorate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School of Business & Economics (SBE) Degree Programmes
• School of Computing & Information Technology (SCIT) Degree Programmes
• School of Education & Social Sciences (SESS) Degree Programmes
• School of Health Sciences (SHS) Degree Programmes
• School of Science (SOS) Degree Programmes
• Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) Programmes
• KUCCPS Government-Sponsored Undergraduate Admission

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% average graduate employment rate within one year of graduation, tracked across 84 graduates and 6 employer partners
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• AMREF Health AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023AMREF Health Africa funded a KES 2,800,000 research grant (January 2023 – December 2024) to evaluate the effectiveness of community health workers in improving maternal and child health outcomes in Vihiga County, employing mixed-methods design with household surveys and health facility data.
• World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for agroforestry systems research in East Africa, with joint projects on soil health, climate-smart agriculture, and food security in smallholder farming communities. ICRAF co-funds the agroforestry and soil health research project alongside AfDB.
• Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative environmental conservation programmes between KAFU and KEFRI covering research, environmental conservation, and sustainable forest management initiatives in Western Kenya.
• Moi UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research collaboration in agriculture, veterinary sciences, and health systems. Includes staff exchange and co-supervision of postgraduate students between KAFU and Moi University.
• Earlham College (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellow Quaker liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana sharing KAFU's values of integrity, community, and transformative education. Partnership supports student and staff exchange, joint curriculum development, and Quaker leadership programmes. Active semester-long exchange programme with next intake September 2026.
• Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre (UK)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuaker study and research centre in Birmingham, UK. Collaboration on Quaker peace studies, leadership development, and curriculum exchange. Active 6-week intensive summer programme (July–August) on Quaker approaches to leadership, peacebuilding, and community transformation, open to KAFU staff and postgraduate students.
• Makerere University (Uganda)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEast Africa's oldest and most prestigious university in Kampala. Key regional partner with collaboration focused on postgraduate research, joint PhD supervision, staff exchange, and shared academic resources in health sciences and social sciences. Active 3-month research residency programme.
• International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, Nigeria)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA CGIAR Research Centre headquartered in Ibadan, Nigeria, IITA enables collaborative research on food security, agroforestry, and soil health, with co-supervision of postgraduate students and joint grant applications between KAFU and IITA.
• Kaimosi United Football ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnership for talent development and sports training, hosting joint sports events and tournaments, student mentorship, and community outreach through football. Enhances student engagement and promotes community integration.
• Masinde Muliro University of Science & TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional university partnership in Kenya for academic collaboration, research, and student exchange within the Kenyan higher education ecosystem.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Moi University: One of Kenya's largest and oldest public universities, headquartered in Eldoret (Rift Valley, adjacent to Western Kenya). Comparable as a multi-school public university with strong research portfolio, established employer relationships, and similar KUCCPS placement dynamics, though at materially larger scale.
• University of Nairobi: Kenya's flagship and oldest public university. Comparable in programme breadth (certificate to PhD across multiple schools) and CUE/ISO accreditation framework, though operates at far larger scale and dominates Nairobi employer placement.
• Kenyatta University: Major Kenyan public university with comprehensive programme portfolio, established research centres, and large alumni network. Comparable as a multi-school public university competing for KUCCPS placement and postgraduate students, with stronger brand recognition.
• Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT): Major Kenyan public university with STEM and applied sciences focus, including computing and engineering. Comparable in programme mix and KUCCPS placement competition, with stronger research profile and urban Juja location.

Direct peers

• Maseno University: Public chartered Kenyan university also located in Western Kenya (Kisumu region) and a fellow faith-affiliated institution (Anglican). Directly comparable as a regional public university with multiple schools, similar student catchment, and competing for the same KUCCPS-placed students.
• Earlham College: US-based liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana with Quaker heritage and active student exchange partnership with KAFU. Directly comparable through shared Quaker values, mutual exchange programmes, and joint curriculum development.
• Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST): Public chartered Kenyan university located in Kakamega (Western Kenya) with STEM focus and active KAFU partnership. Most direct regional peer competing for the same students and donor-funded research in Western Kenya counties.

Emerging players

• Daystar University: Private Christian liberal arts university in Kenya with strong communication and humanities programmes. Comparable as a faith-affiliated Kenyan university with values-driven mission and active international student body.
• Africa Nazarene University: Private Kenyan faith-affiliated university (Nazarene) offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Comparable as a faith-founded higher education institution in Kenya, though KAFU's Quaker heritage and public-university status create distinct positioning.

Regional players

• Makerere University: Uganda's oldest and most prestigious public university in Kampala. Comparable as East African regional research university with KAFU's active postgraduate research exchange programme and joint PhD supervision partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kafukenya
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kafukenya
• Facebookfacebook.com/kafu.ac.ke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaimosi-friends-university

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU)