The Science Granting Councils (Councils) play critical and strategic roles in supporting research and innovation that contribute to the social and economic development of any country. The Councils are charged with the responsibility of research funding, quality assurance, policy and decision-making, knowledge exchange, and training/capacity building of the science system actors to ensure that outputs from the research and innovation endeavours are used to inform policy and practice. Given this important role, and in view of the dynamic nature of research and innovation developments, their capacity to perform these responsibilities to achieve desired goals needs to be continuously strengthened. Compared to other regions in Africa, only a few countries in West Africa have established agencies responsible for research and innovation funding. The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is providing support that will strengthen the national research and innovation funding agencies in West Africa. This project aims to strengthen the national research and innovation funding agencies where they already exist (Burkina Faso, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire) to improve their performances as well as support the development of institutional frameworks/mechanisms for the development of new research and innovation funding agencies in countries where they do not currently exist (Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone).