15 April 2014: The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved financing for 19 university-based Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) in seven West and Central African countries. The centers aim to build the scientific and technical capacity of young Africans by supporting advanced studies in agriculture, health and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and promoting regional specialization among participating universities.

Describing the ACEs as a step toward world-class, higher education institutions in Africa, Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice-President for Africa, said “I can think of no better way to grow African economies, create jobs and support research in Africa than educating young graduates with expertise in high-demand areas such as chemical engineering, crop science and the control of infectious diseases.”

Peter Materu, World Bank, described the ACEs as a way for Africa’s youth to achieve their aspirations without leaving Africa, and for firms to find domestic employees while also competing more effectively in international markets. He noted that “Not a single university from [West and Central] Africa features in rankings of the world’s top 500 universities.”

The researcher-to-population ratio is “very low” in African countries, according to the World Bank, which notes that Nigeria has 38 research and development (R&D) specialists per million people, compared to an average of 481 in Latin America, and 1,714 in East Asia. The ACEs aim to increase Africa’s R&D capacity, which in turn is expected to build the region’s capacity to tackle climate change and other development challenges.

The ACEs will also: train skilled workers in the energy, extractive industries, water and infrastructure sectors; train maternal health workers; and promote knowledge-sharing and coordination through the Association of African Universities (AAU).

The Government of Nigeria will receive US$70 million through the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), while the Governments of Ghana and Senegal will receive US$24 million and US$16 million, respectively. Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Togo will receive US$8 million each, while the Gambia will receive US$3 million. IDA provides credits and grants for projects that reduce poverty, boost economic growth and improve the lives of the poor. [World Bank Press Release] [Project Website]