Gambia Validates New Science, Technology Policy After Setback in Previous Ones

By Ndey Sowe

The Gambia has begun the validation of a new National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (NSTIP) 2027–2035, alongside a proposed Science, Technology and Innovation Bill which aims to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for research and innovation. The proposed policy, which was presented at a national validation workshop held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo on Monday, 31st of August, 2026, brought together government officials, universities, research institutions, private-sector representatives, civil society organisations and development partners. The workshop is expected to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to scrutinise the proposals, including their financing arrangements, and recommend changes before the policy and legislation move to the next stage.

The initiative received technical support from partners including UNESCO, the World Bank, UNDP, ECOWAS, the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD and other organisations, with ECOWAS also providing financial support for the development of the proposed policy.

In her deliberations, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Isatou Auber, said the new policy was designed to create a more coordinated and accountable approach to science, technology and innovation. She said the framework had been developed through consultation, evidence-based analysis and an expert technical review that was built on lessons from the previous policy for 2015–2024. The new framework proposes four key foundations: i) a statutory governance system to coordinate STI activities across government; ii) a National Research and Innovation Fund to finance competitive research grants; iii) a national system for measuring STI performance; and iv) an STI Secretariat within the ministry to oversee implementation.

According to the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Professor Pierre Gomez, the previous policy had fallen short of its targets, and said an independent evaluation found that none of its 12 core objectives had been fully achieved, citing inadequate financing, weak institutional and legal structures, poor coordination and insufficient data. The Minister said governance bodies envisaged under the previous policy were not established and a national STI database was never made operational. The new policy, he said, was intended to address those weaknesses by establishing a clearer legal basis through an STI Act and creating a dedicated secretariat to improve coordination, implementation and accountability.

The proposed policy, he said, contains 10 priority areas including STI leadership and institutions, research and innovation financing, digital infrastructure and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. He said the proposed policy also places emphasis on increasing opportunities for women in science and technology, climate-resilient and green innovation, stronger links between universities and industry, better data collection and measurement, and increased regional and international cooperation.

Professor Gomez emphasised that the policy is intended to have practical effects across key sectors.

In agriculture, science and technology, he said the proposed policy could help improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen food security; services in healthcare, research and digital innovation are expected to improve, while education reforms would focus on the production of more scientists, engineers and innovators with the proposed policy.

According to him, the proposed policy also highlights the importance of stronger digital connectivity, responsible use of artificial intelligence and data, and improved cybersecurity. The Minister further indicated that with the proposed policy, intellectual property and the commercialisation of research will also be supported, allowing innovations developed by researchers and institutions to be transformed into businesses and practical solutions with implementation expected to take place in three stages.

He said the Foundation Phase will run from 2027 to 2028, and will focus on establishing legal, institutional, financing and measurement systems; that a Transformation Phase that will follow from 2029 to 2031, before a Consolidation and Scale-up Phase from 2032 to 2035.

Professor Gomez stated that the proposed policy’s success would ultimately be measured by its results rather than the quality of the document itself. He said the government wants to see more research addressing national priorities, more Gambian researchers trained and retained, and more opportunities for innovators to turn ideas into businesses.

He said the proposed policy also proposes stronger monitoring mechanisms, adding that the National Assembly would receive annual STI status reports, while independent reviews would be conducted every two years.

“Progress indicators are expected to be published through a National STI Observatory dashboard, allowing implementation to be monitored publicly,” Professor Gomez said, and called on government institutions, universities, researchers, businesses, civil society and development partners to take ownership of the policy.

On his part, Hon. Alhagie Mbowe, the Chairperson of the National Assembly Select Committee on Education, Training and ICT, said the review of the proposed policy was taking place at an important time when the country is undergoing changes in its education and technology sectors.

“Science, technology and innovation are not luxuries. They are essential tools for addressing our development priorities, improving productivity and creating employment,” Hon. Mbowe said. He said advances in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, renewable energy, climate technology and other emerging fields presented both opportunities and challenges for The Gambia, and asserted the need for legislation to support the country’s ambitions in science and technology.

“We really need to have a legal framework that will guide us as a country in terms of science and technology,” he said. He further highlighted that the government could not drive the sector alone, and argued that universities, research institutions, businesses, innovators, civil society and young people all have a role to play.

“We must therefore create an ecosystem in which ideas can be generated, tested, financed and commercialised and scaled,” Hon. Mbowe said while urging participants to look beyond simply reviewing policy documents and instead focus on how science and technology can improve people’s lives and support sustainable development.

On his part, Edward Mendy, the Director of Science, Technology and Innovation at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST), said the country’s previous STI policy covered the period from 2015 to 2024. He said an independent evaluation found that while the policy had been ambitious and well designed, none of its 12 core objectives had been fully achieved. Mr Mendy said the problem was not necessarily the policy’s ambitions, but the systems available to implement it.

“The major constraints were not simply weaknesses in the policy ambitions, but weaknesses in the institutional, legal, financial, coordination and measurement foundations required for implementation,” he said. 

The newly proposed policy, he explained, has therefore been designed with greater emphasis on governance, financing, institutional coordination, human capital and monitoring, based on evidence. Mr Mendy said science, technology and innovation should be treated as a national responsibility rather than the mandate of one ministry.

“STI is not the responsibility of the Ministry alone, but it is the responsibility of the whole of government and the whole of society as well,” he said. He said the validation workshop is intended to test whether the proposed policy reflects national priorities and whether its targets and interventions can realistically be implemented.

During the validation, participants are expected to examine the policy’s 10 strategic pillars, financing arrangements, institutional responsibilities and resource framework, while identifying gaps that need to be addressed before the document is finalised. Mr Mendy challenged participants to focus particularly on implementation.

“The most important question is: can we implement it?” he asked.

“And if so, what must be changed today to make the implementation of the proposed policy more effective?” he concluded.