Accra: Madam Suweibatu Adam, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), has called for bold and sustainable financing models to transition research from the laboratory to the marketplace, enabling it to reach its full potential. She emphasized that Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) are central drivers of economic growth, industrial transformation, and inclusive prosperity.
According to Ghana News Agency, these remarks were delivered on her behalf by Professor Paul Bosu, the Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), during a high-level plenary of the Building Effective States and Transformation (BEST) Forum. The forum, themed 'Unlocking Industrial Potential: Strategic Approaches for Ghana's Economic Transformation,' was organized by the Africa Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) in partnership with MEST. It focused on innovative financing for the commercialization of STI, aiming to gather government, academia, industry, and investors to design practical financing models that transition research into markets and jobs.
Ms. Adam underscored the government's ongoing efforts to strengthen the research and innovation ecosystem through initiatives such as the National Research Fund, the Startup and Innovation Bill, and the establishment of technology transfer offices in universities. She highlighted the potential of science and technology not only to solve social problems but also to build industries, create sustainable jobs, and improve competitiveness. Examples of Ghanaian creativity requiring financing include innovations like the Veronica bucket during the COVID-19 pandemic and Goliath Robotics' locally manufactured wheelchairs.
Professor Adelaide Mensah, the Acting Administrator of the Ghana National Research Fund (GNRF), revealed that the Fund's first board was inaugurated in June 2025 and is currently drafting regulations to guide intellectual property management, technology transfer, and commercialization. She mentioned that seed funding would soon be rolled out through pilot calls to support universities, research institutions, and innovators. The core mandate of the Ghana National Research Fund is to ensure that research outputs are protected, transferred, and commercialized for the benefit of the nation.
Mr. Blaise Beyuo, a Senior Fellow at ACET, noted that Ghana has set a target to increase public and private expenditure on research and development to 0.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030. However, he described the current STI ecosystem as fragmented, underfunded, and overly reliant on donor support, calling for stronger collaboration to turn research into market-ready products and services.
Delivering a solidarity message, Ms. Chisom Udemezue, the Technical Advisor on STI at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), emphasized the need for inclusive and sustainable financing models that support innovators at every stage, from ideation to proof of concept, scaling up, and commercialization. She reaffirmed the UK's backing through initiatives such as the Sankore Project and RISER Fund, which are supporting Ghana's commercialization policy roadmap.
