Driving Research Commercialization for Socio-Economic Impact in Ghana & Nigeria

CSIR-STEPRI had the privilege of participating in the Sankore Project closeout workshop on Friday April 10, 2026. At the workshop, the Director for CSIR-STEPRI, Dr. Wilhemina Quaye, participated in a panel discussion on research commercialization in which she highlighted several key insights including:

1. From Research to Impact: Our approach at CSIR is to move beyond research-for-research’s-sake. Every project must now link to commercialization, innovation, and measurable socio-economic outcomes.
   
   
2. Internalizing Recommendations: Through the commercialization impact audit, we have critically reviewed and internalized findings to refine our strategies. This ensures our research outputs are not shelved but reach industry and communities.
   
   
3. Bridging the Gap-From Prototype to Market: A major challenge remains the "valley of death" between technology development and market adoption. Strengthening policies, governance, and industry-research linkages is essential for sustainable impact.
   
   
4. Visibility and Collaboration: Increasing the visibility of our work, fostering cross-border partnerships, and building stronger intellectual property and spin-out systems are crucial to scaling innovation.

This journey is about transformation, from diagnosis to tangible impact. With sustained collaboration among governments, donors, and industry, we can build industries born out of research and drive socio-economic development across West Africa.

Thank you to UNESCO, FCDO, and all our partners for making this initiative a reality.