South Africa and Nigeria have reaffirmed their full commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI) as this remains a priority within the countries' science diplomacy agendas.
The Deputy of Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina, met with Mr Alexander Temitope Ajayi, Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to South Africa in Pretoria yesterday, on the margins of the Nigerian Independence Day celebration.
The engagement was aimed at strengthening dialogue and exploring avenues to operationalise the Bilateral Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, signed between the two countries in 2001.
Speaking at the celebration of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, Dr Gina emphasised the importance of revitalising STI collaboration between the two nations.
Since South Africa and Nigeria signed the bilateral agreement, cooperation in the STI between the two countries has been dormant in recent years despite both countries being key players in Africa’s STI landscape, with strong research institutions and innovation ecosystems.
“Reviving our STI partnership could unlock immense potential for collaborative research, technology transfer, capacity building, and joint innovation projects,” said Deputy Minister Gina.
The Deputy Minister further highlighted that renewed collaboration could open new opportunities in renewable energy, health innovation, digital transformation, and space science, areas that align with both countries’ development priorities and the African Union’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2034).
Mr Ajayi said South Africa and Nigeria have the required resources to operationalise the existing STI agreement, within which several areas of collaboration could be exploited, further expressing commitment in this regard. This and other areas of cooperation will be discussed during the upcoming Political Consultations in Abuja between the two countries’ foreign affairs ministers scheduled to take place from 20 to 21 October 2025.
“The time has come for technology to play a very revolutionary role in the development of Africa, and South Africa and Nigeria can collaborate in digital technologies to position the continent to the outside world as a leader in this sector,” said Mr Ajayi, pointing to the plethora of innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa.
He mentioned a proposed establishment of a Special Technology Envoy on Digital and Emerging Technologies as another area of collaboration to exploit with South Africa. This establishment will be a high-level diplomatic mechanism that will serve as the permanent representative body within the African Union systems, leading on all technology-related matters, both within Africa and globally.
“This initiative aims to position the African continent as an active voice and contributor in the formulation of international technology investments, geopolitics, policy, governance norms, and innovation-driven development,” he said.
Other areas of cooperation discussed included technical visits, people-to-people exchanges, as well as collaboration on research and development among universities in both countries.
Congratulating Nigeria on its independence, Dr Gina reflected on the deep historical ties between South Africa and Nigeria, noting the latter’s unwavering support during the struggle against apartheid and its continued leadership in advancing African unity and development.
“As Africa’s two largest economies, South Africa and Nigeria share a responsibility to drive the continent’s development agenda and ensure that innovation becomes a cornerstone of Africa’s growth,” she said.
Enquiries:
Ms Veronica Mohapeloa
Media Liaison Officer to the Deputy Minister
Cell: 082 882 3818
E-mail: Veronica.Mohapeloa@dst.gov.za
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