There seem to be endless stories coming from Africa about bright young men and women making do with very little to get through and innovate amazing solutions to various problems. However, when it comes to scientific research and innovation the African continent only outputs 1% of the worlds research!

Africa has many problems, from instability from colonial past, serious infrastructure problems, civil war and problems related to being taken advantage of by global corporations. Stability isn’t always guaranteed and it’s led to poor education and serious brain drain for many educated individuals who get out as soon as possible.

However, Quartz reported:

But all is not lost—as more and more African researchers broaden their horizon and engage in much-needed projects. These projects tackle issues ranging from food security, energy, transportation, to poverty, diseases like malaria and HIV, immunization, not to mention the challenges stemming from climate change. This has seen the number of papers from African researchers double in just over a decade, improving in quantity, quality, and international citation according to data from Scopus, the largest database of peer-reviewed literature.

But an increasing number of institutions, individuals and governments are also heralding a new era for scientific research by providing funds for diverse and Africa-specific scientific solutions. These include the Grand Challenges Africa Grants, which this year partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide $7 million in grants over the next five years for scientific breakthroughs in maternal healthcare and precision medicine in Africa.

There’s the Kwame Nkrumah Scientific award from the African Union, which gives $100,000 to top African scientists who provide innovations in life and earth science. The Next Einstein Fellowship, which recognizes and awards Africa’s distinguished scientists under the age of 42.

Top continental and global corporations have also started investing in innovation projects in Africa. In early November, pharmaceutical and consumer good company Johnson & Johnson announced the launch of its 100,000 Africa Innovation Challenge. Besides early child development, the award focuses on providing solutions for empowering young women and improving family well-being. Five years ago, telecommunications company Etisalat also launched its innovation prize that rewards products, services or ideas that promote mobile broadband usage—a key driver of smartphone adoption in the continent. In Kenya, IBM launched its first hub in Africa in 2013, with the aim of driving and supporting homegrown innovation.

The future is looking bright indeed, read more here.

Image source: www.researchoffice.uct.ac.za