African research funding agencies have launched a landmark US$12 million funding programme aimed at accelerating continent-led scientific collaboration, marking a major shift toward African-funded, multi-country research aligned with the continent's long-term development priorities.

Announced by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), the new multilateral funding call is the first of its kind to bring together multiple African science granting councils under a single competitive research programme. Rather than supporting projects within individual countries, the initiative will fund collaborative research involving institutions from several African nations, reinforcing the growing emphasis on regional scientific cooperation.

The three-year grants will support research in five strategic sectors, agriculture, artificial intelligence, energy, environment and health, all identified as priority areas under the African Union's Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2034).

The programme represents an important evolution for SGCI, which has traditionally focused on strengthening the institutional capacity of national science granting councils. With this new initiative, the consortium is moving beyond capacity building to directly financing collaborative research capable of addressing shared continental challenges.

According to SGCI, the funding call seeks to strengthen Africa-led research partnerships while generating evidence and innovations that contribute to sustainable development across the continent.

Funding for the programme combines investments from African science granting councils with support from international partners, including Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Norwegian Government, the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and Wellcome. The initiative also allows private sector organisations and non-governmental organisations to participate as funding partners within individual research projects.

Eligible proposals must involve three to five research institutions drawn from at least three participating SGCI member countries, encouraging the formation of diverse regional research consortia. While institutions from outside the SGCI network may join collaborations, funding will be reserved for eligible African partners.

The programme reflects varying national research priorities across participating countries. Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda will support projects across all five thematic areas, while other countries have chosen to fund selected priority sectors. Botswana will participate in agriculture, artificial intelligence and energy; Mozambique will support agriculture and health; and Nigeria will fund artificial intelligence projects.

Grant allocations also differ by country. Research institutions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda can receive between US$100,000 and US$154,000 per institution, while South African institutions are eligible for approximately US$93,000 per project.

To support collaboration, SGCI has introduced an online matchmaking platform that enables researchers to identify potential partners and build competitive multinational proposals.

The launch has been welcomed as a significant step toward strengthening African research leadership and reducing fragmentation in the continent's research landscape. Brando Okolo, Head of Science, Technology and Innovation at AUDA-NEPAD, said the initiative provides African researchers with an important opportunity to contribute directly to the implementation of Africa's science and innovation agenda.

The application process will be conducted in two stages, beginning with expressions of interest due by 25 September 2026. Following an initial review, shortlisted consortia will be invited to submit full proposals, with successful projects expected to be selected before the end of the year.

Photo courtesy: Google

Article by Jed Mwangi

https://sgciafrica.org/funding/supporting-stisa-2034-sgci-collaborative-research-call/