The African Development Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting universities in Africa as key drivers of innovation and development. Speaking at a symposium on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Nnenna Nwabufo, emphasized the importance of universities in fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and societal transformation.
The symposium, titled “From Campus to Community – University Collaboration between Africa and Japan for Real-World Change,” explored the potential of academic partnerships between Africa and Asia to generate new opportunities for co-creation and progress. The event was organized by the University of Tokyo and co-hosted by the University of Pretoria in partnership with the African Development Bank.
Nwabufo highlighted the Bank’s vision for strong and empowered universities that go beyond producing knowledge to becoming active agents of change. She noted that the Bank believes in leveraging the potential and power of universities through five key areas: integrating universities into investment programs, financing skills and innovation ecosystems, fostering university-industry partnerships, supporting entrepreneurship hubs and technology parks, and facilitating knowledge-sharing platforms.
The Japan Africa Dream Scholarship, a capacity-building program initiated by the African Development Bank and the Government of Japan, was cited as a successful example of promoting university partnerships for youth and innovation. The program offers high-achieving African students a two-year scholarship opportunity to pursue post-graduate studies in fields such as energy, agriculture, and health.
Experts at the symposium, including Professor Frans Swanepoel and Hendrina Droba, Division Manager at the African Development Bank, emphasized the need for skills development and innovative partnerships to drive entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa. The audience also heard from Mary Yeboah Asantewaa, a recipient of the Japan Africa Dream Scholarship, who shared her experience of how the opportunity opened up career pathways in healthcare and innovative drone technology.
The African Development Bank’s commitment to supporting universities in Africa is significant, as it recognizes the critical role that these institutions play in driving development and innovation on the continent. By fostering partnerships between African and Japanese universities, the Bank aims to strengthen and foster long-term collaboration between Africa and Japan, with the ultimate goal of empowering the next generation of leaders in Africa.
