The UK has launched a significant initiative, investing £1.9 million to foster technology and innovation in Ghana and Nigeria. This new grant mechanism, dubbed “Sankore,” named after a medieval West African center of learning, aims to empower local innovation ecosystems by bolstering science, technology, and innovation (STI) collaboration across both countries.

Focused on enhancing industry-science linkages and promoting sustainable development, the grant seeks to commercialize innovative solutions and improve government digital services in both countries. The program will support partnerships between universities, research centers, non-profits, and private sector entities. These collaborations are expected to drive economic transformation, create jobs, and provide opportunities for these rapidly growing economies to compete on the global stage.

Key stakeholders, including Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, have lauded the initiative, with Minister Ophelia Mensah Hayford stating that Sankore will help close the funding gap in Ghana’s tech ecosystem. Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Uche Nnaji, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the project’s potential to enhance Nigeria’s policy environment and strengthen the country’s tech industry

Interested parties, particularly non-profit organizations and research bodies, have been invited to submit proposals to be part of this transformative project. The deadline for submissions is October 25, 2024.