As one of the leading partners and promoters on growth and advancement, the United Kingdom has continued to earn global applause for efforts at improving lives and bettering societies.
Through its personnel, platforms, policies, programmes and promotions, the United Kingdom is upscaling strives and strides and sustaining its commendable works of improvements across nations and continents, Africa inclusive.
The United Kingdom also continues to extend and expand lifesaving interventions for global-good and sustainability through its Global Alliance Africa initiative and other related outreaches. GAA-initiative funded by the UK Government aims to strengthen innovation ecosystems across Africa by fostering collaboration between governments, businesses, and academia. The initiative supports transformative projects that address global challenges while promoting economic growth and social progress, and pleasantly too, Nigeria is also at the center of its considerations and beneficial reachouts.
UK and Nigeria have an enduring development partnership that seeks to promote economic growth, reduce poverty, promote democracy and good governance, ensure security and safety through strategic defence alliance, qualitative education and healthcare enhancement, fostering of cultural synergy and improving living standards in Nigeria.
In furtherance to this robust and gainful collaboration, Nigeria was elated as it recently hosted a top-notched and globally celebrated Scholar and Researcher-Professor Charlotte Watts, UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s Chief Scientific Adviser and Director for Research and Evidence.
As the most senior scientist in the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO, providing strategic scientific advice to the Foreign Secretary, Ministers, and senior officials on key global challenges, she also leads the Research and Evidence Directorate, which oversees the UK’s significant research and technology investments and supports the overseas science and innovation diplomatic network.
UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s Chief Scientific Adviser and Director for Research and Evidence, Professor Charlotte Watts and the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Uche Nnaji, flanked by his Technical Adviser, Ms. Ure Utah, his Special Adviser; Dr. Robert Ngwu and the UK’s West Africa Research and Innovation Hub (WARIH) team, in Abuja.
With a distinguished academic background, Professor Watts is a Professor of Social and Mathematical Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her research has made critical contributions to infectious disease epidemiology, HIV prevention, and violence reduction, including ground-breaking work demonstrating that domestic violence is preventable.
Recognised as a global leader in science and public health, she is a Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and a Foreign Associate Member of the US National Academy of Medicine.
In 2019, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in recognition of her outstanding services to global health.
UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s Chief Scientific Adviser and Director for Research and Evidence, Professor Charlotte Watts with the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Valuechain (PVAC) Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, in Abuja.
Professor Charlotte Watts arrived in Nigeria this week to see, firsthand, UK supported projects that are helping to strengthen Nigeria’s science, tech, and innovation ecosystem.
During her visit, which is of tremendous benefits to the country, Professor Watts met with project stakeholders, innovators, and partners in Lagos and Abuja, to explore the transformative impact of these projects on economic growth, job creation, and societal challenges in Nigeria.
While in Lagos, she visited the University of Lagos and Hinckley Recycling, beneficiaries of the UK-Africa Technology and Innovation Partnerships (ATIP) programme, funded by the Research and Evidence Directorate. Hinckley Recycling, a UK e-waste recycling facility that developed second-life solutions for lithium-ion batteries. While on site, Professor Watts reiterated the UK’s commitment to delivering on net zero in the UK and to work with Nigeria through companies such as the Hickley Recycling to save the environment while empowering livelihoods with clean energy to power their businesses.
She also met with Creative ecosystem stakeholders cutting across music, film and movies, content creation to discuss an ongoing study on Nigeria’s creatives landscape commissioned with Evidence Fund by the West Africa Research and Innovation Hub (WARIH).
In Abuja, she met with Nigeria’s Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation, Hon. Uche Nnaji to hear about the Nigeria Government’s plans to develop a domestically funded Science Granting Council and met with Dr Abdu Mukhtar, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value chain (PVAC).
(L-R) Knowledge Transfer Manager, KTN Business Connect, Chidubem Ejezie; CEO Hinckley Recycling, Adrian Clews; UK’s FCDO Technology and Innovation Adviser, West Africa, Chisom Udemezue; UK’s FCDO Chief Scientific Adviser, Prof. Charlotte Watts; Assistant Private Secretary, Thomas King; Country Lead, KTN business connect, Joshua Adedeji; Knowledge Transfer Manager.
Professor Watts’ visit highlights the UK’s commitment to strengthening partnerships in innovation, research, and development to deliver shared prosperity and tackle global issues and underscores the importance of the UK’s collaboration with Nigeria to promote innovation and research as drivers of sustainable development and economic growth.
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