By: Binta Jaiteh
The Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Pierre Gomez, on Monday launched the National Research and Innovation Fund (NRIF), aimed at strengthening research, innovation, and national development in The Gambia.
The launch took place at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Banjul.
Minister Gomez said the fund was developed through a broad participatory process involving stakeholders across government, academia, the private sector, civil society, innovation hubs, and development partners.
He said the process included 14 consultation sessions involving 177 participants from 108 institutions.
“The NRIF was not designed behind closed doors. It was built through a participatory process and represents a co-production effort,” Gomez said.
He explained that the fund was established under the NRIF Act 2025 as a semi-autonomous statutory body mandated to finance research and innovation, while remaining accountable to its line ministry.
According to him, many national challenges in sectors such as agriculture, health, education, and climate resilience are not due to lack of knowledge, but due to weak systems for translating research into practical solutions.
“The diagnoses exist in our research institutions, and the prototypes exist in our innovation hubs. What has been missing is the apparatus to move ideas from research papers to practical use,” he said.
Gomez urged the private sector to view research and innovation as an investment rather than a cost, adding that it is key to productivity, competitiveness, and economic growth.
He also noted that sustainable funding for such initiatives cannot rely solely on public financing, stressing the importance of long-term investment models.
The Executive Director of the National Research and Innovation Fund, Professor Momodou Sallah, said the institution will focus on allocating funds to research aligned with national development priorities.
He said limited access to financing and capacity constraints remain major challenges for universities, adding that the fund aims to mobilize up to 100 million dalasis within the next 18 months.
Sallah added that the initiative is expected to expand opportunities for young people and contribute to national transformation through research and innovation.
Speaking on behalf of lawmakers, the National Assembly Member for Upper Saloum, Alagie Mbow, described the fund as a key pillar for national development.
He said the initiative would empower young people to engage in innovation and research that contributes to economic development.
Mbow reaffirmed parliament’s commitment to supporting sustainable development efforts and called on stakeholders to share knowledge in advancing the country’s development agenda.