UK launches £1.9m fund to boost sci-tech in Nigeria, Ghana

The UK government’s West Africa Research and Innovation Hub (WARIH) says it has launched Sankore, a £1.9 million initiative poised to boost innovation and technology across West Africa.

The British deputy commission’s office in Lagos spoke of the project on Tuesday.

It said Ray Collins, the UK minister for Africa, called for creative proposals on the project from non-profits (including UN Agencies) at a press conference in Accra.

The commission said the Sankore call for proposals would support the UK government’s partnership with Nigeria and Ghana on science, technology, and innovation.

It said Sankore will facilitate the commercialisation of innovative solutions, improve innovation policy, and enhance the government’s digital service delivery.

The commission said that the initiative which was named after a West African medieval centre of learning, Sankore, would establish new partnerships worth up to £1.9 million with non-profit organisations (including UN agencies) in Ghana or Nigeria.

At the launch of the call for proposals, 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.”

Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s minister of innovation, science, and technology, said the Sankore project is an opportunity for the country to enhance its innovation landscape.

Nnaji said Nigeria could do this by strengthening its industry-science linkages and developing an enabling policy environment.

He said that the partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to developing practical solutions that lead to sustainable and inclusive growth.

Commenting, Jonny Baxter, the British deputy high commissioner in Lagos, said: “Sankore exemplifies the UK’s commitment to driving innovation and sustainable development in Nigeria.

“The project will strengthen partnerships between businesses and innovators as well as drive the development of innovative solutions that address critical gaps in priority economic sectors.

“The project will build on the UK’s wider efforts to support economic growth, create job opportunities and propel Nigeria’s technology and innovation ecosystem.”