0900hrs Lagos, Nigeria, Monday, November 18, 2024 – The Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST) and the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) is today, at State House, Abuja, launching Grand Challenges Nigeria (GCNg) to fund and advance impactful research and innovations in health, food systems, and development in Nigeria.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation at more than 230 million inhabitants, confronts some of the most urgent health and development challenges in the world. GCNg represents a transformative initiative poised to catalyse significant advancements in public health and sustainable development across Nigeria. Implemented by the NSN, GCNg aims to integrate innovative solutions into the fabric of Nigeria’s national strategy to address critical health and development issues.

Starting in 2010, partners in many countries began to establish Grand Challenges initiatives – including in Brazil, India, South Africa and a pan-African programme, among many others. These initiatives work independently and together as part of the Grand Challenges Network of partners, who use the GC model to accomplish dual objectives: identifying and supporting innovative solutions to the world’s toughest challenges, while at the same time fostering and strengthening innovation ecosystems in places where it will have the most impact. Together, the GC Network seeks to intentionally build and strengthen communities of innovation funders, and support and connect grantees to a global network that boosts their potential. Grand Challenges also offers a model that other funders and governments - particularly those in low-middle-income countries can use to dedicate more resources to scientific discovery and innovation in health and development. This approach fosters scientific collaboration at local, regional, and global levels, supporting an ecosystem of interconnected researchers and innovators.

The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON will, in the company of the Honourable Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, launch the GCNg initiative and announce the first GCNg Request for Proposals (RFP) for funding grants. This announcement is made in partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), FHI360, Dalberg Global Development Advisory, and the Aliko Dangote Foundation. These government, non-governmental, industry and private sector partnerships ensure that GCNg aligns with national priorities and builds on Nigeria's existing capabilities in science and innovation.
 
“I am excited about the opportunities unlocked by the launch of Grand Challenges Nigeria. A thriving ecosystem in health, nutrition, and food systems is not just ideal but necessary for Nigeria’s progress. Collaborating with partners who are committed to driving innovation in these critical areas gives us the chance to secure a healthier, more equitable future for all Nigerians,” Mrs Uju Vanstasia Anwukah, Special Assistant to the President on Public Health

A request for proposals (RFP) whose theme is: “Advancing Innovative Solutions for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health,” GCNg seeks to identify and support innovative, scalable ideas and interventions that leverage local contexts to address critical challenges in maternal, newborn, and child health, ultimately prioritising human health and development is also being issued alongside the launch. This RFP will provide seed grant funding up to Nigerian Naira 60 million per grant for a 12 to 15-month project implementation period. The final grant amount awarded will be determined based on the specific needs, scope, and proposed budget of the project. Applicants are encouraged to submit realistic budget proposals that reflect the actual costs required to achieve their project goals. A maximum of ten (10) projects will be funded.

“At the heart of this project is our commitment to ensuring that the solutions we develop are inclusive and equitable, bringing together public and private sectors, academia, community stakeholders, and other key players. We look forward to working closely with the community of Grand Challenges national programs in Africa including GC South Africa, GC Rwanda, GC Ethiopia, the pan-Africa GC program, and other GC programs around the world to support our community of grantees and accelerate scientific progress,” said Professor Salisu Maiwada Abubakar, FNSN, President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria
 
“We recognise that incremental change is not enough; Nigeria requires transformative, science-driven solutions capable of achieving meaningful impact at scale. We aim to create opportunities for locally grounded, multidisciplinary solutions, ensuring that investments not only address critical gaps but also build upon and amplify the successes of ongoing initiatives,” said Professor Folake Samuel PhD (Ib), FNSN, FPMA-UK, Program Director and Technical Lead, Grand Challenges Nigeria.
 
As the seventh African country to join the Grand Challenges family — after Botswana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa  —, Nigeria is poised to leverage innovative solutions to tackle some of its most pressing health challenges. “We are thrilled to welcome Grand Challenges Nigeria into the global and African network,” said Prof Tom Kariuki, CEO of Science for Africa Foundation. “This initiative not only signifies Nigeria’s commitment to advancing health solutions but also reinforces our collective goal of fostering innovation across the continent.” 

To find out more about the RFP, click here

Notes for Editor

About the Grand Challenges Nigeria (GCNg)
Grand Challenges Nigeria is a National initiative under the Global Grand Challenges family. It is designed to drive innovation and solve critical health and development challenges in Nigeria. Recognising the importance of country-specific solutions, Grand Challenges Nigeria (GCNg) focuses on leveraging innovation to improve health outcomes, foster gender equality, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the Nigerian context. GCNg will empower Nigerian researchers, scientists, and development practitioners to lead innovative solutions addressing local challenges in key areas such as health, agriculture, and food systems. By building local capacity and strengthening collaborations among government, academia, and the private sector, as well as local and international partnerships, GCNg seeks to create long-term, sustainable impact across Nigeria. We strive to make the biggest possible difference, save the most lives possible, and unlock the power of innovations through its multisectoral engagement. Grand Challenges Nigeria is coordinated by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) and operates in collaboration with key stakeholders such as the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and other organisations. These partnerships ensure that GCNg aligns with national priorities and builds on Nigeria’s existing capabilities in science and innovation.

About the Grand Challenges Network of Partners
The Grand Challenges network of partners supports innovative solutions to "Grand Challenges" in health and development with a vision for a world where local, regional, and global innovation ecosystems are thriving and fostering solutions in the places where they will have the most impact. Together, Grand Challenges (GC) partners have invested US$1.6 billion, awarding 3,800 grants to a diverse pool of scientists and researchers in 118 countries.  

 
About the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology (FMIST)
The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology (FMIST) plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s national development by fostering collaboration among all players of the science, technology and innovation system including government and non-government agencies, State Ministries, development partners and other stakeholders to leverage science technology and innovation (STI). FMIST’s mission focuses on enabling inclusive economic growth, strengthening national security, enhancing agricultural productivity, improving infrastructure, and advancing industrialisation and innovation. By driving STI development and fostering strategic collaborations, FMIST aims to position Nigeria as a global leader in science, technology and innovation laying the foundation for sustainable socio-economic progress.
 
About the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN)
The Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) is a professional, non-governmental association that has been dedicated to the advancement of nutrition, public health, and development in Nigeria since 1963 by promoting research, learning, and collaboration with multisectoral stakeholders. It is the largest gathering of stakeholders in Nutrition in Nigeria. The vision of the NSN is to promote sound research and learning; build skills, competencies, and capacity; enhance and improve professionalism; collaborate with relevant government MDAs, development partners and private sector foundations or corporate foundations; create awareness through high-level advocacy; and create an enabling environment that fosters innovations and entrepreneurship to create disruptive market solutions through information on and exposure to accessible grants, research outputs, and industry collaborations.
 
About the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI)
The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) is the only Postharvest research institute in the country, NSPRI contributes to national and regional food security through its mandate of improving bulk storage of agricultural commodities, crop value addition and safe handling of crops and products from farm to fork to reduce postharvest losses.
 
About the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR)
The mission of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) is to conduct research into diseases of public health importance in Nigeria and develop structures for the dissemination of research findings while providing the enabling environment and facilities for health research and training in cooperation with the federal and state ministries of health and in collaboration with universities, allied institutions and organised private sector nationally and internationally.
 
About the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation)
The SFA Foundation is a pan-African, non-profit and public charity organisation that supports, strengthens, and promotes science and innovation in Africa. The SFA Foundation serves the African research ecosystem by funding excellent ideas in research and innovation; enabling interdisciplinary collaborations and building and reinforcing environments that are conducive for scientists to thrive and produce quality research that generates new, locally relevant knowledge.

Media Enquiries
Godwin A. Bamsa I Senior Programme Manager | Grand Challenges Nigeria
[email protected] I +234 907 301 8659