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[MAUN, BOTSWANA] Researchers in Botswana have converted ordinary sand into specialized mining chemicals that could slash the country’s mining operational costs by a third while ending its dependence on imported chemicals. Scientists at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) have developed a chemical compound for mineral extraction using locally sourced sand —…

The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) is emerging as a force in bridging the communication gap by ensuring that research reaches the people who can benefit from it most. They are doing this through a series of knowledge dissemination webinars. The webinars are designed to facilitate research knowledge sharing and engagement among Ugandan…

For those who missed our recent newsletter, here is a roundup of stories we published. We covered three ground-breaking initiatives that are transforming agricultural challenges into economic opportunities across East and Southern Africa. Eco-friendly kilns help Malawi’s fish curers cut losses A study assessing the economic impact of post-harvest fisheries losses found staggering wastage: 43 per cent…

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. Since its inception, SGCI has worked across 17 countries to strengthen science, technology, and innovation (STI) systems by partnering with research councils, development agencies, and regional and international organisations. A 2014…

Limited funding, outdated infrastructure are some of the challenges of maintaining a robust digital grants management system in Africa. To tackle these challenges, the Science Granting Councils (SGCs) from across Africa convened in Windhoek, Namibia, last week for a peer-to-peer learning workshop. The workshop was organised by the Association of African Universities and hosted by…

Across the African continent, Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in Africa are key to driving evidence-based science, technology, and innovation policies. These councils play an important role in shaping national development agendas and driving progress through strategic research funding and coordination. They, however, face significant challenges in their digital transformation efforts, including limited funding, outdated infrastructure,…

The Science Granting Councils across Africa are increasingly transforming science, technology, and innovation (STI) ecosystems, the 2024 SGCI annual forum report says. According to the report, the councils have significantly raised their profiles as funding bodies, evidenced by growing interest and proposal submissions from researchers across the continent covering the core thematic areas of the…

African scientists have been conducting cutting-edge research to tackle the continent’s challenges but need to improve engagement with policymakers to make an impact. In a virtual workshop on 23 April, researchers from diverse fields, including agriculture, health, education, and energy, gathered to learn how to transform their scientific findings into persuasive policy briefs that can…

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…

Africa’s space sector, while valued at US$22.64 billion in 2024, is still in its early stages—but scientists say it holds significant promise for addressing some of the continent’s development issues. In this episode of Africa Science Focus, reporter Michael Kaloki explores how space research and innovation are being used across the continent. Mary Makuate, a…