The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening universities across Africa. It wants them to serve as centres of innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment attraction.
Speaking at a high-level symposium on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), Nnenna Nwabufo, AfDB Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, described universities as “vital allies in Africa’s transformation.”
“As Africa’s premier development finance institution, the African Development Bank sees universities as vital allies — not only as centres of learning, but also as drivers of innovation, engines of entrepreneurship, and catalysts for societal transformation,” she said.
“Africa’s future depends on strong and empowered universities that go beyond producing knowledge to becoming active agents of change.”
Symposium Highlights: Africa–Japan Collaboration
The symposium, From Campus to Community – University Collaboration between Africa and Japan for Real-World Change, was hosted by the University of Tokyo and co-hosted by the University of Pretoria in partnership with the AfDB.
The event brought together African and Japanese academics, policymakers, and development experts to explore how collaboration between the two regions can unlock opportunities for skills development, research, and innovation.
Keynote remarks were delivered by Dr Teruo Fujii, President of the University of Tokyo, and Dr Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria (represented by Prof Margaret Chigita-Mabugu). Both leaders stressed the importance of innovative partnerships, diverse voices, and the social impact of Africa–Japan cooperation.
Two expert panels also examined the role of universities in driving entrepreneurship and innovation. Professor Frans Swanepoel, Head of the Wits School of Governance, emphasised the importance of education in shaping entrepreneurial success, particularly in Africa’s youthful demographic.
AfDB’s Five Commitments to Universities
Nwabufo outlined five priority areas through which the Bank will support universities:
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Embedding universities in investment programmes aligned with national development and industrialisation.
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Financing skills and innovation ecosystems that drive knowledge creation.
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Promoting university–industry partnerships to strengthen collaboration with the private sector.
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Supporting entrepreneurship hubs and technology parks within higher education institutions.
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Facilitating knowledge-sharing platforms to showcase innovations and attract investment.
Youth and Innovation in Focus
Hendrina Droba, Division Manager for Education, Human Capital and Employment at the AfDB, highlighted the Bank’s efforts to integrate youth and innovation into its new 10-year strategy. She cited the Japan Africa Dream Scholarship as one of the Bank’s most successful initiatives.
Launched in 2017 in partnership with the Government of Japan, the scholarship has funded 41 African students to pursue master’s studies in energy, agriculture, health, environmental sustainability, and engineering. Of these, 27 studied in Japan and 14 at African partner universities.
Scholarship recipient Mary Yeboah Asantewaa from Ghana shared how the programme opened new career pathways for her in healthcare, where she now uses drone technology to combat malaria.
“The University of Tokyo is a proud partner in this initiative,” Nwabufo added. “Partnerships between African and Japanese universities will not only advance innovation today, but also prepare Africa’s trainees of today to become the leaders of tomorrow.”
