A newly established, independent research consultancy supporting researchers, NGOs, and policy teams across Kenya and East Africa — from a single approval question to a full research engagement.
NORTHGATE POLICY AND RESEARCH CENTER (Northgate Research) is a Kenyan-led, independent research consultancy newly established in 2026 and based in Ruiru, Kiambu County. We were founded on a simple belief: policy is only as good as the evidence behind it, and evidence is only useful if it's understood and trusted.
We sit at the intersection of evidence and decision-making — helping researchers navigate Kenya's approval landscape, supporting NGOs with rigorous evaluation, and translating data into policy briefs that get read and used.
We're new, and we say so openly. What we offer is senior leadership, transparent pricing, ethical research conduct, and an unwavering focus on usable evidence. Our motto says it best: Bridging Research to Reality.
DM
Dr. David Mutabari
Director of Research & Operation
Governance & Team
The People Behind Northgate Research
Lean by design. Flat hierarchy. Clear accountability. We disclose openly who delivers the work and who advises in a non-executive capacity.
DM
Dr. David Mutabari
Director of Research & OperationExecutive — full-time delivery
Overall strategy, researcher guidance, approvals oversight, partnership development, and final content approval. Designated Data Protection Officer.
For larger engagements we work with a vetted network of associate researchers, enumerators, and statisticians across Kenya — all bound by signed confidentiality agreements before joining a project.
Our Standards
How We Work, and Why You Can Trust It
Four commitments that govern every engagement — published openly so clients can hold us to them.
01
Independence
We do not advocate for predetermined conclusions. Analysis follows the data, even when the data surprises the client.
02
Ethics
All studies follow the National Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research and relevant IRB protocols. We never submit approvals on a client's behalf.
03
Confidentiality
Every staff member, associate, and enumerator signs an NDA before joining a project. Client data is stored encrypted, accessed on a need-to-know basis, and deleted on the schedule we agree upfront.
04
Methodology
We document our approach, declare limitations, and welcome scrutiny. We use SPSS, STATA, R, NVivo, and ATLAS.ti where appropriate — chosen by the question, not by habit.
Northgate is registered as a Data Controller and Data Processor with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), Kenya. Compliance documents available on request.
What We Do
Five Ways to Work With Northgate Research
Every service has a single, transparent price. Services 1, 2, and 3 are pay-on-booking via M-Pesa. Services 4 and 5 are quotation-based — submit your idea, receive a quote within 48 hours, pay only when you accept.
SERVICE 01KES 1,500 / request
General Approval Consult
A straight guide to your study approvals.
KES 1,500 per requestAny thematic areaWritten guidanceTailored to your study
This is a straight guide to your specific study approvals for any research thematic area. You submit your study details, and we send back a clear written guide tailored to your project — which approval bodies apply, which documents to prepare, what timelines to expect.
💳 KES 1,500 — Pay on booking via M-Pesa
Pay Bill 625 625, Account 771 937 4576. Submit the form with your M-Pesa confirmation code.
SERVICE 02KES 5,000
Specialized Approval Consultation
One-on-one session plus a written report.
KES 5,000 fixed60–90 min sessionWritten reportDocument checklist5-day delivery
A deep-dive on a complex approval pathway — multi-county IRBs, paediatric ethics layers, sensitive data studies — delivered with a tailored written roadmap and document checklist.
💳 KES 5,000 — Pay on booking via M-Pesa
Pay Bill 625 625, Account 771 937 4576. Submit the form with your M-Pesa confirmation code.
SERVICE 03From KES 5,000
Research Approvals Support
Bundled or pay-per-approval.
Part A · KES 20,000Part B · KES 5,000 eachTemplates includedSubmission coaching
End-to-end guidance through Kenyan research approvals. Choose Part A (full pathway, KES 20,000) for studies needing 3+ approvals, or Part B (KES 5,000 per approval) when you only need one or two.
💳 Pay on booking via M-Pesa
Pay Bill 625 625, Account 771 937 4576. Part B total auto-calculates by number of approvals.
End-to-end research partnership — methodology, data collection, analysis (SPSS, STATA, R, NVivo), approvals, and final report or publication-ready manuscript.
✅ No payment required to apply
Submit your concept note. We review and send a written quotation within 48 hours. You pay only after accepting the scope.
For research needs that don't fall into our standard categories — manuscript editing, grant writing, training, collaborations, or anything else research-adjacent.
✅ No payment required to apply
Submit your idea. We review and send a quotation within 48 hours. You pay only after accepting the scope.
NOT SURE?
Let's talk it through.
A 5-minute WhatsApp chat usually points you to the right service.
A note on our pricing: These are introductory rates set during our launch year to build a portfolio and earn trust. All prices shown are final, inclusive of applicable taxes. We do not charge separately for templates, document review, or follow-up clarifications within the agreed scope.
Our Specialty
Kenyan Research Approvals, Without the Guesswork
Six pathways covered end-to-end. We guide and review — you submit complete the first time.
Approval Body
Timeline
How We Help
NACOSTI
2–4 wks
Checklist, form guidance, follow-up templates
IRB (Ethics)
4–12 wks
IRB selection, submission package, response & revision support
ODPC (Data Protection)
3–6 wks
DPIA template, controller/processor registration, consent form review
The deliverables we produce, the methods we use, and the standards we apply. Real client case studies will be published here as engagements complete and clients consent.
P
Policy Briefs & White Papers
Decision-ready evidence products in 4–8 pages for ministries, counties, and donors.
Literature synthesis
Stakeholder mapping
Policy options & recommendations
E
Programme Evaluations
Baseline, midline, endline, and impact evaluations to donor standards.
Theory of change design
Mixed-methods data collection
Donor-ready reporting
A
Research Approvals Packages
Complete document packs for the six Kenyan research approval bodies.
NACOSTI, IRB, ODPC
County & facility access
Submission coaching
D
Data Protection Compliance
DPIA, RoPA, and ODPC registration support for research teams and health-tech.
Data Protection Impact Assessment
Records of Processing Activities
Staff data-protection training
T
Methods Training Workshops
1–5 day cohort workshops in research methods, M&E, and data tools.
SPSS / STATA / R / NVivo
Survey design & KoBo Collect
Policy brief writing
M
Methodology & Analysis Support
Statistical & qualitative analysis for academic and institutional teams.
Quantitative analysis (SPSS, STATA, R)
Qualitative analysis (NVivo, ATLAS.ti)
Literature & systematic reviews
How We Work
From Question to Decision
Every engagement follows the same four-step rhythm — clear scope, regular check-ins, no surprises.
01
Scoping Call
A free 30-minute conversation to understand your need and map a clear path forward.
02
Proposal & Quote
A written proposal with scope, deliverables, timeline, and price — sent within 24–48 hours.
03
Execution
Regular check-ins, draft milestones, and your feedback at every stage.
04
Delivery & Handover
Final report plus a debrief — work that gets used matters more than work that just gets delivered.
Our Promise to You
What Every Client Can Expect
Six commitments that hold every Northgate engagement to the same standard — from a KES 1,500 consult to a full research engagement.
🛡
Confidentiality, guaranteed
Every team member and associate signs an NDA before joining a project. Your data and concepts stay private.
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Deadlines we honour
If we accept a deadline, we keep it. If something genuinely changes, we tell you immediately — not on delivery day.
⚖️
Independent analysis
We never adjust findings to match what a client wants to hear. If the data says otherwise, we say so.
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Transparent pricing
The price you see is the price you pay. No hidden fees, no surprise add-ons, no scope creep without a written change order.
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Ethical research conduct
We follow the National Guidelines for Ethical Conduct of Research and applicable IRB protocols. We do not submit approvals on your behalf — that's the standard, and we hold it.
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One round of revisions, free
Every paid deliverable includes one round of feedback and revision within the agreed scope, at no additional cost.
Coming Q3 2026
Insights — Notes from the Field
Our Insights blog launches later in 2026 with practical writing on Kenyan research, approvals, and evidence-informed policy. Subscribe to be notified when the first article goes live.
We respect your inbox. No marketing emails — only the Insights launch announcement and a monthly digest after that.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked
Do you submit research approvals on behalf of clients?
No — and we won't, ever. Kenyan research approvals require the principal investigator or institution to submit under their own name. We provide the templates, the document pack, the review, and the coaching, but the submission is yours. This is the ethical standard and we respect it.
Why are your prices so affordable compared to other firms?
These are introductory rates during our launch year (2026). Three reasons we offer them: (1) we want to build a portfolio of completed engagements and client references, (2) we believe approvals support should be accessible to researchers without large institutional budgets, and (3) we accept that early-stage clients are taking a chance on a new firm. Pricing will rise in 2027 as we publish case studies and client testimonials.
How does payment work?
Services 1, 2, and 3 are paid on booking via M-Pesa — Pay Bill 625 625, Account 771 937 4576. After paying, you enter the M-Pesa confirmation code in the intake form. Services 4 and 5 are quotation-based: submit your concept, we send a written quote within 48 hours, and you pay only after accepting the scope.
What happens if I'm not satisfied with the work?
Every paid deliverable includes one round of revisions within the original scope at no extra cost. If after revision you remain genuinely dissatisfied, we'll offer a partial or full refund depending on how far through the engagement we are — case by case, in writing. We've published this commitment because we mean it.
Are prices VAT-inclusive or exclusive?
All prices shown are final and inclusive of applicable taxes. Northgate is currently below the KRA VAT registration threshold and prices reflect that. We will give written notice before any future change to pricing or VAT status.
What's the difference between Part A and Part B of Service 3?
Part A is a fixed-price package (KES 20,000) covering the full pathway for your project — choose this if you need 3 or more approvals or want one coordinated engagement. Part B is pay-as-you-go: KES 5,000 per individual approval — choose this if you only need one or two specific approvals.
How do you protect my data and research concepts?
We are registered with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner as both a Data Controller and Data Processor. Internal policies cover data minimisation, encryption, retention schedules, and breach response. Every staff member and associate signs an NDA before accessing client material. Our full data-protection documentation is available on request.
Can international clients work with you remotely?
Yes. We support clients globally via video call, email, and shared workspaces. Many of our target development-partner clients are based outside Kenya.
Where is your office?
Executive Apartment, Ruiru, Kiambu County, Kenya (P.O. Box 1098 – 00232). Visits are by appointment — please book ahead via WhatsApp or email.
Ready to bridge research to reality?
Tell us about your project. We respond within one business day with scoping questions and a clear next step.
