News
The TWAS-DFG 2026 cooperation visits programme call is now open.
The call is now open for the TWAS-DFG Cooperation Visits Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme is a collaborative effort between The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) to foster international scientific partnerships. The TWAS-DFG programme provides postdoctoral researchers from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to undertake a…
Uniting Malawi’s innovators: NCST’s push to bridge the coordination gap
How does Malawi move from pockets of innovation to a truly connected national ecosystem? In this interview with the Science Granting Councils Initiative, Isaac Chingwota, acting director for Technology Transfer, Innovation and Commercialisation at the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), explains why coordination and data are central to unlocking Malawi’s innovation potential. Malawi…
Namibia launches BOOSTUP programme to bridge innovation gaps
Many promising technology-driven ideas struggle to progress beyond the concept stage due to limited access to early-stage support and mentorship. These challenges highlight the need for targeted interventions that could transform innovative ideas into viable and scalable solutions. It is against this backdrop that the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), in partnership…
Kenya’s postgraduate research grants
The National Research Fund (NRF), Kenya, invites applications for postgraduate research grants for the 2025/2026 financial year. This national research call is a strategic intervention to strengthen Kenya’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem by supporting high-quality postgraduate research that drives innovation, informs evidence-based policymaking, and contributes to inclusive national development in line with the…
The FONSTI mag: A new era for science storytelling in Côte d’Ivoire
Effective research communication is central to ensuring that science informs policy, reaches communities, and inspires the next generation of scientists. Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), members are increasingly experimenting with creative, people-centred ways of making research more visible, accessible, and relevant beyond academic circles and as a core function of national science systems. One such…
Advancing STI systems through Kenya’s silicon savannah
The National Research Fund (NRF) leadership, last week, joined the principal secretary of the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, Haukat Abdulrazak, on a strategic visit to Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s flagship innovation ecosystem and a cornerstone of the country’s ambition to become a knowledge-based economy. The visit, led by NRF chief executive officer Dickson…
SGCI 2026: Strengthening science granting councils for leadership
As African countries confront increasingly complex development challenges ranging from climate change and health security to food systems, digital transformation, and economic diversification, the need for strong, responsive national science funding institutions has never been more urgent. Science granting councils sit at the centre of this challenge, shaping how research is prioritised, funded, governed, and…
In case you missed it: Stories driving science impact across Africa
As the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) prepares to roll out a new phase of activities, we revisit some of our most-read stories highlighting how stronger research systems, innovation, and climate-resilient science are delivering impact across Africa. From strengthening national research systems and financing mechanisms to supporting farmer-led innovation and climate-resilient agriculture, these top-performing stories…
Towards 2026: African innovations pointing to what comes next
As we step into 2026, research-driven innovation continues to shape how communities respond to long-standing development challenges, from health and food security to climate resilience, jobs, and sustainable industry. Backed by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), these projects show how local science, when aligned with national priorities, can generate practical solutions with lasting impact.…
Innovation highlight series: part three
Across Africa, locally driven research is delivering practical solutions to some of the continent’s most pressing development challenges, from food security and clean energy to livelihoods and industrial efficiency. Supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), these innovations show how targeted funding, skills development, and researcher–community collaboration can translate ideas into impact. This third…
