The African scientific landscape took center stage at the CREST30 Celebratory Conference, held on 17 to 20 March 2025, at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. The conference commemorated 30 years of impactful research and policy engagement by the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science, and Technology (CREST). Among the distinguished speakers was Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng, the Executive Director of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), who delivered a compelling presentation on "Unlocking Africa’s Scientific Potential for Global Impact."

A Platform for Advancing African Science

The CREST30 conference served as a pivotal gathering of global scholars, policymakers, and research leaders, addressing critical issues in the evolution of science, technology, and innovation. Dr Oti-Boateng participated in the launch of the African STI leaders’ forum on 20 March 2025 in a high-level session titled Forum Visions: Challenges and Opportunities in Advancing African Science for the Global Public Good, alongside esteemed representatives from African research institutions and universities. Her presentation underscored both the challenges and transformative opportunities facing the African scientific ecosystem.

Key Challenges Facing African Science

There are several systemic obstacles that continue to impede scientific progress across the continent. The following are the key barriers:

1. Limited Funding & Investment – Most African nations allocate less than 1% of their GDP to research and development (R&D), resulting in underinvestment and a reliance on external funding that often misaligns with local scientific priorities.
2. Infrastructure Limitations – The scarcity of advanced laboratories, equipment, and reliable internet connectivity restricts the ability of African researchers to conduct cutting-edge studies.
3. Brain Drain – Many of Africa’s brightest scientists migrate to developed countries due to limited career prospects at home, depleting the continent of valuable expertise.
4. Policy & Institutional Barriers – Weak science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies, coupled with bureaucratic red tape, hinder the effective translation of research into tangible societal benefits.
5. Educational Gaps – Insufficient emphasis on STEM education at the primary and secondary levels and inadequate mentorship opportunities for early-career researchers continue to stifle innovation.
6. Global Inequities in Science – African scientists often struggle to access global research networks and high-impact publishing platforms, while intellectual property laws frequently disadvantage African contributors.

Opportunities for Transformative Growth

Despite these challenges, there is immense potential for Africa to become a global leader in scientific innovation. If investments were directed to the following areas it could drive transformation:

• Harnessing Africa’s Youth Demographic – With 60% of the continent’s population under 25, investing in STEM education and research training could cultivate a new generation of scientific leaders.
• Natural Resource Wealth – Africa’s rich biodiversity and mineral resources present unparalleled opportunities for research in medicine, agriculture, and sustainable development.
• Indigenous Knowledge Systems – Integrating traditional knowledge with modern science can yield innovative solutions tailored to African contexts.
• Collaborative Partnerships – Strengthening South-South and North-South collaborations can enhance knowledge exchange and funding opportunities, as seen in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024).

Showcasing African Scientific Excellence

The AAS is committed to fostering a sustainable, knowledge-driven future for Africa, through initiatives that empower African scientists to lead groundbreaking research that contribute to Africa’s transformation into a knowledge-driven and innovation-led continent. Two of AAS flagship programmes are:

• The African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE): This flagship programme, spearheaded by AAS in partnership with the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU), emphasizes equitable collaborations to elevate African research and innovation in line with the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology, and Innovation.
• The African Postdoctoral Training Initiative (APTI) – A collaboration with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), designed to build a cadre of African scientists who will become leaders in global health.

AAS’s participation in CREST30 reinforced the urgency of unlocking Africa’s scientific potential. By addressing systemic challenges, leveraging the continent’s youth and resources, and fostering robust policy and investment frameworks, Africa can emerge as a global powerhouse of innovation. The CREST30 conference provided a timely platform to galvanize support for this vision, emphasizing that the time to act is now.