By Atoyebi Nike
The European Union (EU) has announced a new phase of collaboration with Nigeria aimed at strengthening the country’s research and innovation ecosystem, with a focus on digital transformation, climate resilience, and sustainable growth.
At the 18th Annual Research Conference of the University of Lagos, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, revealed that Nigerian researchers are now eligible to participate in the EU’s flagship Horizon Europe initiative, a €100 billion research and innovation programme.
Mignot said the EU and Nigeria are working to advance a Science, Technology, and Innovation Agreement that will promote joint research, academic exchange, and investment in technology infrastructure. He emphasized that science “is most efficient when it is universal” and praised Nigeria’s growing role in global innovation.
“Horizon Europe is open to Nigerian researchers because the pursuit of knowledge belongs to all humankind,” he stated. “This agreement will bring our researchers, innovators, and universities even closer together.”
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, lauded the EU for supporting African innovation, noting that the partnership would help turn local research into practical solutions across energy, health, and AI.
Horizon Europe the EU’s premier funding programme for research and innovation (2021-2027) focuses on global challenges such as climate change, digital transformation, and health. It has already funded over 15,000 projects across continents.
