A post-COVID-19 IDEA to strengthen research, innovation, and development in Africa

Abstract

Globally, research, innovation, and the associated education and entrepreneurship are essential for youth and socioeconomic development. Governments, universities, research institutions, and private sector play various roles in the innovation value chain. The weak research and innovation systems in Africa are often linked to the overarching challenges of poor financing, inadequate capacity, weak infrastructure, and processes. Many African universities and research institutions are challenged to validate and transition their ideas and discoveries from the laboratory to field evaluation, and downstream development, registration, and commercialization processes. The critical discovery–development interface that is normally driven by the private sector is also not well developed. Overcoming these constraints require concerted local and global partnerships, sharing of available resources and assets, and training and use of suitable Information and Communications Technology and digital tools to boost productivity. Importantly, this requires private sector engagement and development. We discuss how the Innovation Development and Entrepreneurship Africa aims to use available assets in Africa to support institutions and youths to stimulate innovation. Redoubling efforts toward African development in the post COVID-19 era, in alignment with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, will require investment in support of these ideals. We offer some policy recommendations in this context.