The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced up to £1.9 million in funding to strengthen science, technology and innovation in Nigeria and Ghana through its West Africa Research and Innovation Hub.
The funding to be disbursed under the tag ‘Sankore grant’ and named after a medieval centre of learning in West Africa, call for proposals will support the UK government’s partnership with governments in Nigeria and Ghana on Science, Technology and Innovation, facilitate commercialisation of innovative solutions, improve innovation policy and enhance government digital service delivery.
Sankore will support the implementation of the UK-Ghana Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy and promote collaborative work between universities, research centres and the private sector, and help turn new ideas into useful products for industry and support projects that fit with Ghana’s tech goals.
Launching a call for proposals at a press conference in Accra, UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, said: “This initiative is all about how we can work together to strengthen the global technology sector, creating opportunities for rapidly growing economies with lots of potential to compete on the world stage.
“The Sankore grant fosters partnerships at its heart, with a strong message that we go far when we go together”, the minister added.
In her remarks, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Ophelia Mensah Hayford enthused: “Sankore will serve as a financing vehicle to catalyse the implementation of the UK-Ghana ST&I Strategy. This initiative is one of many initiatives the Ministry with the support of the UK Government intends to bridge the funding gap for Ghana’s Technological Innovation.
“We are happy to partner key actors in the innovation ecosystem to drive the economic transformation in Ghana through ST&I”, she added.
Similarly, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, maintained: “The launch of Sankore sends a clear message: the UK sees enormous value in partnering with African countries on science, technology and innovation, and we are committed to bringing those partnerships to life.
“This grant will further strengthen our existing partnerships on science, tech and innovation, in line with our joint the UK-Ghana ST&I Strategy”, the envoy added.
