UNESCO, UK, others provide £1.9m grant to boost tech, innovation
By Ijeoma Olorunfemi
UNESCO in collaboration with its partners have inaugurated the Sankore project in West Africa, to boost economic diversification and development.
The programme, was inaugurated on Thursday in Abuja in partnership with Results for Development (R4D), and the UK International Development.
The programme comes under the Strengthening UK-West Africa Science, Technology and Innovation Partnerships for Sustainable Development initiative.
Sankore is a new grant delivery mechanism of up to £1.9 million supported by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), said the Sankore project resonated with President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point agenda on economic growth.
“The Sankore project promises enhanced economic growth in improving public service delivery and raise strong partners across our region.
“Importantly, it seeks to address and establish through both frameworks to ensure coordinated project delivery and results monitoring of outcomes and impacts,” he said.
He said that a steering committee would be set up and saddled with the responsibility of providing strategic direction and ensuring accountability.
Ms Susan Mshana, Deputy Director and Head, Integrated Strategy and Delivery Unit, British High Commission, said that they were aligning with the national mandate of both Ghana and Nigeria.
“The programme compliments other UK funding interventions and programmes like Manufacturing Africa, Global Innovation Fund, British International Investment and many others.
“Specifically, Sankore will be supportive in operationalising the Ghana National Research Fund, the Nigerian National Research Fund, facilitating the commercialisation of innovation solutions in priority economic sectors such as agriculture and energy.
“It will enhance the innovation and technology policy and regulatory environment, including improving data accessibility and transparency in policy implementation to grow productivity of innovation ecosystem,” she said.
Dr Ibrahim Murtala, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Ghana, said poor investment in Research and Development (R&D) had led to stunted development on the continent.
“The average investment for R&D stood at about 0.42 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Africa and 0.3 per cent of GDP in Ghana after more than four decades of the Lagos Declaration.
“The declaration enjoined African countries to invest at least one per cent of GDP in Research and Development (R&D).
“Patents filings for the whole of Africa is less than one per cent and publications in emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Biotechnology remain low in comparison with global publications.
“Sankore will be a catalyst to securing Ghana’s future as a hub for scientific advancement and technological innovation in the region,” he said.
He also said that with commitment countries in Africa could surmount the numerous challenges bedeviling the continent.
Ms Kornelia Tzinova, Head, Natural Sciences Sector, UNESCO Regional Office for West Africa, Dakar, Senegal, said the project would last till March 2026.
“We will be ensuring that we strengthen the National Science Technology and Innovation systems in both Ghana and Nigeria.
“The two countries have been chosen also to strengthen the UK, Nigeria and Ghana bilateral strategies in science, technology and innovation,” she said.
Earlier, Mr Edmond Moukala, Head of UNESCO Office, Ghana, said the project would assist Ghana and Nigeria to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He recalled that UNESCO had been designated as the lead agency for the International Decade of Science for Sustainable Development 2024 to 2033.
“The decade represents a unique opportunity for science to serve humanity and to protect our planet.
“It is also an opportunity to force societies to solve the most pressing challenges in West Africa. The Sankore project, therefore, presenst a platform that will foster the ideas of the decade.
The Sankore project was expected to support Nigeria and Ghana in navigating ways to address critical national challenges related to economic diversification, job creation, climate resilience, among others using STI initiatives.
The project is being implemented by UNESCO and R4D, in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST), Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST) and relevant stakeholders. (NAN)
Edited by Uche Anunne
Published By
- Agriculture and Environment Desk Editor, Website Content Manager.
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