On 10–11 November 2026, the Science for Africa (SFA) Foundation joins the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and GSMA to co-convene the Africa Health and Development Annual Research Symposium (AHDARS) in Nairobi, Kenya. Now in its third edition, AHDARS brings together researchers, policymakers, funders and innovators to connect scientific evidence with policy and practice on Africa’s health and development priorities. This year, they will gather around one question: what can Africa do differently to own, govern and use its data?

Under the theme “Building African-Centered Data and Knowledge Systems: New Models, New Power. What Can Be Done Differently?”, this year’s symposium comes at a decisive moment. Global cuts to research and development funding have disrupted the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), a vital source of evidence for health and development decisions across Africa for decades. At the same time, artificial intelligence and digital health are changing how data is produced, analysed and used. For the SFA Foundation, the message is clear: Africa's data must work for Africa's priorities. Stronger data systems and responsible data use lead to better decisions, and better decisions lead to more equitable development.

Why the SFA Foundation is at #AHDARS2026
The SFA Foundation is a pan-African, non-profit and public charity organisation that supports, strengthens, and promotes science, research and innovation in Africa. The Foundation aims to promote science, innovation, evidence and policy for improved health and economic prosperity in the continent. African-owned data systems are central to that mission: they are how science becomes evidence, and how evidence shapes policy. At this year’s symposium, the Foundation brings four strands of its work to the conversation.

• Population data infrastructure: The Foundation hosts the secretariat of the African Population Cohorts Consortium (APCC). The consortium connects more than 60 population cohorts across 24 countries. It is building an African-owned base of long-term population data to guide health and policy.
• Research excellence and leadership: Through DELTAS Africa II, the SFA Foundation supports 14 research consortia spanning 75 institutions in 36 countries. The aim is to make sure Africans lead the science that generates Africa's evidence.
• AI, data science and computing: The Foundation funds African innovators using AI and data science to improve health. In 2026 it also mapped scientific computing capacity across 28 African countries. That study found continental readiness of just 40.1%. It also found strong appetite among institutions to build a shared, federated African computing ecosystem.
• Clinical research: Through its Clinical Research and Trials Community, the Foundation is working to grow Africa's share of global clinical research. Africa carries about a quarter of the world's disease burden but hosts only about 4% of clinical trials.

What to expect at #AHDARS2026
The two-day programme includes a scientific track with peer-reviewed oral and poster presentations, keynote addresses and high-level policy discussions. There will also be practical sessions with technology and private-sector actors, innovation showcases, a masterclass on African data and knowledge systems, and structured opportunities to build partnerships.

SFA Foundation will use the symposium to showcase and discuss work across its programme portfolio. This includes initiatives that advance African scientific leadership, research capacity, AI and data science governance, and the translation of science into innovation.

The Foundation's aims for #AHDARS2026 are to:

• elevate African scientific expertise and locally generated evidence in decisions about the continent's data future;
• advance practical, African-led models for financing, governing and sharing data, including after the DHS;
• connect the symposium to the growing community of African researchers and innovators building the continent's data and knowledge systems; and
• contribute to the symposium's flagship report and communiqué, turning dialogue into commitments.

Join the conversation
This is a hybrid event, so you can attend in person in Nairobi, Kenya or online. Follow the conversation on our social channels using #AHDARS2026. In the coming weeks, look out for the Foundation's Partner Perspective series, which features interviews with the Foundation's leadership and programme teams.

Register to attend online → https://bit.ly/4yw1zd0

Learn more about AHDARS 2026 → https://bit.ly/4rl3UoA