Charting Africa’s STI Transformation

Insights from the SGCI STISA-2034 Consultative Workshop

Africa’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) landscape is evolving, with increasing focus on coordinated and strategic approaches to support both national and continental development. Aligning national priorities with continental frameworks may strengthen governance, enhance institutional capacity, and foster collaboration across countries. Within this context, the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) and its member councils are well placed to shape the implementation of STISA-2034.

Learning from STISA-2024

In September 2024, the SGCI and its member councils, through the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) and in partnership with the African Union Commission, convened a consultative workshop in Accra, Ghana, with support from IDRC. The meeting reflected on lessons learned from the previous STI strategy, STISA-2024. It aimed to ensure African institutions and stakeholders played a central role in shaping the continental STI strategy. It also provided Science Granting Councils (SGCs) with a platform to discuss their roles in supporting STISA-2034 and advancing Africa’s STI transformation.

The review of STISA-2024 indicated that, while many African countries had adopted national STI policies and regional collaboration had strengthened, limited stakeholder engagement, weak monitoring mechanisms, and constrained funding impeded overall progress. These findings guided workshop discussions on how STISA-2034 could address these challenges and achieve broader continental relevance.

Expanding the Role of Science Granting Councils

SGCs have traditionally focused on national research funding. The Accra discussions highlighted that SGCs are increasingly positioned to influence the continental innovation ecosystem. Aligning their mandates with STISA-2034 priorities allows councils to support evidence-based decision-making and facilitate systemic change. Such alignment could also enable Africa to leverage science, technology, and innovation as instruments for Africa’s STI transformation.

The workshop recognised that SGCs are well placed to play several key roles, including:

• Fostering intra-Africa collaboration: Encouraging joint initiatives and knowledge exchange between countries.
• Mobilising resources: Supporting funding for research and innovation.
• Demonstrating measurable impact: Ensuring projects and programmes align with strategic priorities and contribute to outcomes beyond individual grants.

Aligning Policies to Advance Africa’s STI Transformation

Workshop participants emphasised several priorities for STISA-2034:

• Inclusive stakeholder engagement: Involving governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society could enhance ownership and ensure diverse perspectives inform the strategy.
• Strengthened monitoring and evaluation: Robust mechanisms may be required to track progress, evaluate outcomes, and enable timely adjustments.
• Alignment of national and continental policies: Ensuring coherence could reduce duplication of effort and strengthen collective impact.
• Resource mobilisation: Diversifying funding sources, including public-private partnerships and international collaboration, could support the strategy’s objectives.
• Promotion of regional centres of excellence: Developing hubs in priority sectors, such as energy, health, and agriculture, could encourage capacity building and innovation across the continent.

From Strategy to Implementation

A recurrent theme in the workshop was the need to move from strategy to tangible action. Despite multiple STI strategies being developed across Africa, implementation has often been uneven. Participants highlighted several measures to support operationalization of STISA-2034:

• Develop a clear implementation plan: Establish defined timelines, responsibilities, and accountability mechanisms to guide execution.
• Establish a continental STI fund: Dedicated funding may provide stability and support cross-border research initiatives.
• Encourage private sector participation: Incentives and risk mitigation strategies could stimulate engagement in research and development.
• Strengthen STEM education and innovation ecosystems: Building human capital and fostering entrepreneurship may support long-term sustainability.
• Incorporate foresight and strategic planning: Anticipating emerging challenges and opportunities could help the strategy adapt to changing contexts.

SGCI’s Role in Supporting Councils

The workshop noted that SGCI has strengthened SGC capacity through initiatives in grant management, strategic communication, knowledge translation, and gender inclusivity. Moving forward, SGCI may support councils by:

• Facilitating knowledge exchange: Providing platforms to share lessons learned and best practices.
• Supporting evidence-based policy development: Ensuring research outputs inform decision-making at national and continental levels.
• Enhancing institutional capacity: Equipping councils with tools and skills to implement STISA-2034 effectively.

Laying the Groundwork for Africa’s STI Transformation

The Accra workshop represented more than a consultation; it marked a turning point in defining the potential roles of SGCs in Africa’s STI transformation. Discussions on funding, governance, inclusivity, and private sector engagement established a foundation for coordinated and actionable commitments. Insights from the workshop may guide the finalisation and implementation of STISA-2034 over the coming decade.

By consolidating visibility, strengthening institutional capacity, and promoting collaboration, SGCI and SGCs could bridge the gap between policy formulation and measurable outcomes. This approach may enable African countries to leverage STI more strategically, aligning national priorities with continental objectives.

Looking Ahead

The STISA-2034 Consultative Workshop emphasised that African Science Granting Councils (SGCs), working with the African Union Commission and supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), could guide the continent’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) agenda through a more coordinated and strategic approach. While challenges such as resource constraints and the need for sustained stakeholder engagement remain, structured collaboration, evidence-informed decision-making, and accountable implementation are likely to be critical in translating strategy into impact.

STISA-2034 may therefore provide a framework for systemic transformation, supporting the development of capacities and innovation ecosystems capable of addressing Africa’s socio-economic priorities. The Accra workshop highlighted that, with continued engagement and adaptive planning, SGCs could play a central role in linking national initiatives with continental goals and fostering measurable outcomes in Africa’s STI transformation.