Ghana research fund advances push for open research, science

The Ghana National Research Fund (GNRF) is taking steps to strengthen open access to publicly funded research, as the country develops a framework to advance Open Research and Open Science.

GNRF hosted a one-day consultative workshop in Accra with the International Network for Advancing Science and Policy (INASP), bringing together stakeholders to explore how Ghana can translate its emerging Open Science strategies into practical approaches for researchers and institutions.

The discussions focused on Ghana’s draft Open Science framework and the role of research funders in making publicly funded research more accessible, usable and impactful.

Under a proposed Legislative Instrument, publicly funded research findings would be required to be published in open-access journals within 12 months of completing the research. The proposal is aligned with Ghana’s draft National Open Science Strategy and the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2034), which identify research funders as important drivers of Open Science.

For GNRF, the move also supports its mandate under the Ghana National Research Fund Act, 2020 (Act 1056), which requires the Fund to promote knowledge and technology transfer. Greater access to publicly funded research could help extend research findings beyond academic institutions and make them more accessible to policymakers, industry and wider society.

At the same time, GNRF stressed the importance of protecting researchers’ and innovators’ intellectual property. The proposed approach recognises that appropriate intellectual property protection should be secured before research outputs are made openly available.

The engagement concluded with a commitment to develop an action plan to guide further knowledge exchange among research councils and inform the design of a proposed two-year Open Research initiative for Africa.

The discussions speak to a growing focus among Africa’s research funding institutions on strengthening systems that make research more accessible while supporting responsible knowledge sharing and innovation.

Explore opportunities for collaborative research

The emphasis on open and collaborative research also aligns with the objectives of the SGCI–STISA-2034 Multilateral Research Call, which supports multi-country research partnerships addressing priority challenges across Africa.

The Call is supported through a partnership of African Science Granting Councils, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Government of Norway, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealh & Development Office (FCDO), and Wellcome.

Explore the full eligibility requirements and access the application portal at https://call.sgci.africa/. Expressions of interest are due September 25, 2026.

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Published on 9 September 2026

By Jackie Opara-Fatoye