Empowering Nigerian Innovators and Researchers for a Sustainable Future with Horizon Europe.
ABOUT HORIZON EUROPE
ABOUT HORIZON EUROPE
Background
The role of research and innovation activities and policy is becoming increasingly central and urgent in facing Africa and Europe’s shared challenges: the need to promote sustainable growth and jobs, green transition, digital transformation, mobility, security and good governance, and today, crucially, a pandemic.
The Horizon 2020 program made funding available between 2014 and 2020. Its emphasis was on excellent science, industrial leadership and tackling societal challenges. Horizon Europe is the EU’s research and innovation framework program running from 2021-2027, and succeeding H2020. It has a budget of €95.5 billion for the period of 7 years, making it the most ambitious research and innovation program in the world.
The work program of Horizon Europe for 2021-2022 was adopted on 16 June, and includes targeted actions with key non-EU partners, including the first ever ambitious and comprehensive ‘Africa Initiative”.
As a strategic partner, the EU seeks to enhance cooperation with Africa to promote actions targeted to finding locally adapted solutions to challenges that are global in nature, but which often hit Africa hardest. The Horizon Europe work program 2021-2022 includes around 40 topics with a budget of around €350 million under Calls for Proposals that are particularly relevant for cooperation with Africa. This reflects the joint priorities as agreed at the EU-AU Research & Innovation Ministerial meeting in July 2020: Public Health, Green Transition, Innovation & Technology and Capacities for Science.
Wednesday 8 February 2023, 2023 11:00 – 13:15 (GMT+1)
Hybrid event:
Online (Zoom) and on-site (EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, European Union Crescent, Off Constitution Avenue, Central Business District, Abuja)
Horizon Europe Nigerian National Contact Points’ Network Launch Event & Presentation of Work Program 2023-2024 and its Africa Initiative II – Focus on Nigeria”
This event is co-organized by the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS and the European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, with the support of EURAXESS Africa, in association with Nigeria’s Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
The event intends to provide information about opportunities for Nigeria-based researchers and research institutions through the Horizon Europe Work Programme for 2023-2024 and specifically its “Africa Initiative II”. This initiative includes a series of calls for proposals which encourage or even require participation of African scientists. The event will explain how to apply to these calls for proposals and will also provide information about mobility opportunities for scientists, such as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Erasmus +.
In addition, this event will feature the launch of the Network of Nigerian National Contact Points (NCPs) for Horizon Europe, who will represent go-to contact persons who can provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe to Nigeria-based scientists.
Scientific Research, Innovation Critical For Knowledge-driven Economy – Onu
By Nkechi Isaac – November 19, 2021 0
Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has underlined the importance of scientific research and innovation for the realization of knowledge-driven economic development in Nigeria.
Onu made this assertion during a high-level virtual interactive meeting with the European Union (EU) Commission on Horizon Europe – Focus on Nigeria.
He said the Nigerian government will continue to promote cooperation between the European Union and Nigeria that will be targeted at finding local solutions to global challenges but with a very severe impact on Africa.
The minister described the ‘EU-Horizon Nigeria’ as a “strategic partner” towards delivering beneficial innovation and research programs, that will promote sustainable knowledge-driven economic development for growth, job and wealth creation, defense and internal security, infrastructural development and good governance.
Onu further urged scientists, researchers, the organized private sector (OPS) and entrepreneurs in Nigeria to submit proposals for funding to Horizon Europe.
The Horizon Europe work program for 2021-2022 includes about 40 topics with a budget of about €350 million. Also, Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation program, has a budget of €95.5b for a period of 7 years, 2021 to 2027.