EU and Nigeria to Negotiate Science & Tech Pact
The European Union and Nigeria have opened negotiations on a bilateral Science & Technology Cooperation Agreement. The pact is intended to facilitate joint innovation, knowledge transfer, and research collaboration between the two regions. Such agreements can introduce new user flows and compliance requirements for grant management platforms.
- This agreement will be the sixth of its kind between the EU and an African nation, with existing agreements already in place with Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia. - The negotiations coincide with the second EU-Nigeria Science and Innovation Day in Lagos, an event bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. - This pact builds upon a growing collaboration; under the Horizon Europe program, 65 Nigerian organizations have already participated in 55 projects, receiving approximately €20 million in grants, primarily in health, food, agriculture, and the environment. - Beyond Horizon Europe, Nigerian organizations are involved in 12 projects through the Global Health EDCTP3 partnership, with 15 organizations receiving about €9 million from a total project value of around €75 million. - The agreement is designed to align with the broader African Union (AU)-EU Innovation Agenda (2023-2033), which aims to translate research and innovation into tangible products, services, and jobs. - In a related effort to boost Nigeria's digital transition, the EU recently provided a €45 million Digital Economy Package to support e-Governance, digital skills, and entrepreneurship. - Nigeria's 2022 National Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy aims to move the nation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy, a goal this EU pact is positioned to support. - Key figures involved in fostering this closer collaboration include Nigeria's Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot.
