By Felix Khanoba
African governments have been called upon to increase investment in research and innovation to accelerate economic growth and sustainable development across the continent.
The appeal was made during the annual workshop and conference of the West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA), held in Abuja on Wednesday as the organisation commemorated its 20th anniversary.
The conference, themed “Compliance for Quality Research,” brought together academics, researchers and policy experts who stressed that Africa’s progress would depend largely on the level of commitment shown towards scientific research and innovation.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the event, President of WARIMA, Dembo Kanteh, said innovation remains a vital driver of job creation, economic expansion and solutions to the socio-economic challenges facing African nations.
He noted that many African countries continue to lag behind developed nations in research financing, warning that inadequate investment has limited researchers’ access to modern facilities and hindered impactful studies.
According to him, advanced economies continue to commit substantial resources to science, technology and innovation, while research funding in many African countries remains insufficient.
“In many developed countries, governments invest heavily in research, but in our own environment, funding is still in its infancy. Researchers therefore need support to access international grants,” Kanteh stated.
He also highlighted the importance of adherence to international ethical standards and regulatory requirements, saying compliance has become increasingly necessary for researchers seeking global grants and partnerships.
“Researchers have responsibilities in relation to how research is conducted. They must ensure compliance with ethical standards, legal frameworks and regulatory requirements,” he added.
Kanteh further disclosed that WARIMA has intensified collaboration among researchers across West Africa while promoting mentorship and capacity development for young scientists.
He maintained that supporting emerging researchers would play a crucial role in shaping the continent’s future.
“The ideas in infancy in our young people are the ideas that will change our countries in the future,” he said.
Also speaking, former Vice Chancellor of Babcock University and Coordinator of the Nigerian EU National Contact Point Network for Horizon Europe, Prof. Michael Faborode, identified poor commercialisation of research findings as a major challenge facing Nigeria and other African countries.
Faborode lamented that many research outcomes fail to translate into products or innovations capable of stimulating industrial growth and national development.
He urged researchers to focus more on patents, prototypes and product development instead of limiting efforts to academic publications alone.
“Patents, prototypes and product development are even more essential because through that avenue you can create wealth,” he said.
The professor also advocated stronger collaboration between universities, research institutes and industries to ensure research outputs are transformed into practical and marketable solutions.
He further urged African governments to prioritise science and innovation, insisting that the continent must reduce its dependence on imported technologies.
“We cannot continue to wait for the products of others. We have to develop our own,” Faborode added.
