The UK authorities’s West Africa Analysis and Innovation Hub (WARIH) says it has launched Sankore, a £1.9 million initiative poised to spice up innovation and expertise throughout West Africa.
The British deputy fee’s workplace in Lagos spoke of the undertaking on Tuesday.
It mentioned Ray Collins, the UK minister for Africa, referred to as for artistic proposals on the undertaking from non-profits (together with UN Companies) at a press convention in Accra.
The fee mentioned the Sankore name for proposals would help the UK authorities’s partnership with Nigeria and Ghana on science, expertise, and innovation.
It mentioned Sankore will facilitate the commercialisation of revolutionary options, enhance innovation coverage, and improve the federal government’s digital service supply.
The fee mentioned that the initiative which was named after a West African medieval centre of studying, Sankore, would set up new partnerships value as much as £1.9 million with non-profit organisations (together with UN businesses) in Ghana or Nigeria.
On the launch of the decision for proposals, Collins mentioned: “This initiative is all about how we will work collectively to strengthen the worldwide expertise sector, creating alternatives for quickly rising economies with plenty of potential to compete on the world stage.
“The Sankore grant fosters partnerships at its coronary heart, with a powerful message that we go far once we go collectively.”
Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s minister of innovation, science, and expertise, mentioned the Sankore undertaking is a chance for the nation to reinforce its innovation panorama.
Nnaji mentioned Nigeria might do that by strengthening its industry-science linkages and creating an enabling coverage surroundings.
He mentioned that the partnership demonstrates a shared dedication to creating sensible options that result in sustainable and inclusive progress.
Commenting, Jonny Baxter, the British deputy excessive commissioner in Lagos, mentioned: “Sankore exemplifies the UK’s dedication to driving innovation and sustainable growth in Nigeria.
“The undertaking will strengthen partnerships between companies and innovators in addition to drive the event of revolutionary options that handle vital gaps in precedence financial sectors.
“The undertaking will construct on the UK’s wider efforts to help financial progress, create job alternatives and propel Nigeria’s expertise and innovation ecosystem.”
