The UK government has unveiled up to £1.9 million in funding to bolster science, technology, and innovation in Ghana and Nigeria through its new West Africa Research and Innovation Hub, named Sankore. This initiative aims to enhance collaborative efforts between the UK and West African nations, focusing on the commercialisation of innovative solutions, improvement of innovation policy, and advancement of government digital services.
The Sankore call for proposals will support the UK-Ghana Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I) Strategy by fostering partnerships between universities, research centres, and the private sector. The goal is to transform new ideas into practical industry applications and align projects with Ghana’s technological objectives.
At the press conference in Accra, Lord Collins, UK Minister for Africa, emphasized the initiative’s collaborative spirit: “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.”
Hon. Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Ghana’s Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, highlighted Sankore’s role in bridging the funding gap for Ghana’s technological innovation: “Sankore will serve as a financing vehicle to catalyse the implementation of the UK-Ghana ST&I Strategy. We are excited to partner with key actors in the innovation ecosystem to drive economic transformation in Ghana through ST&I.”
British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, reinforced the importance of this partnership: “The launch of Sankore sends a clear message: the UK sees enormous value in partnering with African countries on science, technology, and innovation. We are committed to bringing these partnerships to life. This grant will further strengthen our existing collaborations in line with the UK-Ghana ST&I Strategy.”
