STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FUNDING AGENCIES IN WEST AFRICA (SRIFA) TRAINING MANUAL

Research and innovation are foundational drivers of socio-economic transformation, competitiveness, and sustainable development. In West Africa, Research and Innovation Funding Councils (“the Councils”) serve as critical enablers by mobilizing resources, disbursing grants, and shaping national research agendas. Yet, these Councils face persistent systemic challenges, including limited fiscal space, fragmented institutional frameworks, insufficient technical capacity, and complex donor landscapes. Such constraints weaken their ability to deliver on mandates, scale impact, and sustain funding ecosystems.

The ATPS Strengthening the National Research and Innovation Funding Agencies in West Africa (SRIFA) Training Manual directly responds to these challenges by equipping Councils with advanced tools, models, and governance strategies that enhance resource mobilization, optimize partnerships, mainstream equity, commercialize research outputs, and uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity. Unlike generic capacity-building programs, this manual integrates technical rigor with context-specific applications. It combines evidence-based frameworks, such as the Quadruple Helix model, Theory of Change, and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems, with West African case studies and simulation-based exercises to ensure actionable learning.

By engaging with this manual, participants will strengthen institutional resilience, increase success rates in competitive funding, enhance impactful cross-sector collaborations, and embed research within national and regional policy processes. Ultimately, SRIFA aims to create a cohort of technically proficient, strategically oriented Councils capable of catalyzing innovation ecosystems and driving transformative development outcomes across West Africa.