How storytelling is amplifying SGCI-funded innovations

Dr. Francis Omujal showing Ugandan Shea butter machine

For many researchers, publishing scientific findings in academic journals has long been the primary way to share knowledge. But increasingly, there is recognition that research must also be communicated in ways that reach broader audiences, policymakers, industry partners, communities, and fellow innovators who can translate discoveries into real-world solutions. Across projects funded by the Science…

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Namibia hosts SGCI meeting as Anicia Peters leads alliance

Anicia peters President of SGCI

Namibia is set to take on a prominent leadership role in Africa’s science, technology, and innovation landscape as Anicia Peters, chief executive officer of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), prepares to assume the Presidency of the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) Alliance in September 2026. Peters will be inaugurated during the…

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Namibia launches national research infrastructure survey report

Launching of the survey report

The Namibia National Commission on Research, Science and Technology has officially launched the country’s Research Infrastructure Survey Report, outlining existing research facilities, key gaps, and priority areas for development. The report was presented on 3 March at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre in Windhoek before an audience of stakeholders drawn from government, academia, and industry. NCRST…

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How Zambia’s science council is funding research that matters

Zambian SGCI funded projects on display.

When Zambia’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established in 1997, its founding vision was to harness science, technology, and innovation to improve the lives of ordinary Zambians. More than two decades later, that vision is increasingly taking shape through a growing portfolio of research projects that speak directly to the country’s most pressing…

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Voices of SGCI: Council leaders on the direction and ambition of SGCI 3

African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Week in Addis Ababa, 2026

At the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Week in Addis Ababa, earlier this month, leaders of science granting councils reflected on what SGCI Phase 3 represents for Africa’s science and innovation systems. From ownership and alignment to stewardship and sustainability, here are their voices on what fundamentally changes with SGCI 3 and why this…

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Innovation awards boost Côte d’Ivoire’s national research drive

The Fund for Science, Technology and Innovation (FONSTI) opened the audition phase for the FONSTI Innovation Prize 2025, marking a decisive moment in a process launched earlier this year to strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s innovation ecosystem. The auditions follow the official launch of the inaugural Innovation Prize on 8 April 2025, when the Council’s secretary general,…

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Unlock the power of tech marketing

NRF - In April 2025, the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Sub-Saharan Africa marked ten years of enhancing the capacity of national public research funders.

Calling all Science Granting Council members. Are you ready to take your innovation from lab to market? Join the Southern African Innovation and Research Management Association, SARIMA, for the ‘Marketing Early-Stage Innovations’ course, delivered by Innovus (Stellenbosch University). This practical, hands-on virtual training is designed specifically for researchers looking to market and commercialise early-stage technologies within…

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Botswana’s Commitment to Research: Laying the groundwork for innovation

A scientist in Botswana working with IAEA's equipment that uses a nuclear-derived technique to rapidly detect the coronavirus (COVID-19). The country’s new national research fund will support scientific progress. Copyright: Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (CC BY 2.0 DEED).

Although Botswana does not yet have a dedicated science agency, it has demonstrated a strong commitment to research and innovation through active participation in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI). In this video interview, Lesego Thamae, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, reflects on the country’s eight-year involvement with SGCI…

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One of SGCI’s first members, Malawi, is reaping the rewards

In this interview, Gift Kadzamira, Director-General of Malawi’s National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), outlines the substantial benefits the country’s research ecosystem has gained through the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI). As an early SGCI member since 2015, Malawi has experienced notable growth and transformation. The initiative has provided essential training that has enhanced…

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