Africa: Olusegun Obasanjo Prize for Scientific Discovery and/or Technological Innovation 2024

The AAS seeks to promote and foster the growth of a vibrant African scientific community and to stimulate and nurture the spirit of scientific discovery and technological innovation that would serve socio-economic development in Africa.

The Olusegun Obasanjo Prize for scientific discovery and/or technological innovation is awarded once every two years to individual scientists or a group of scientists that the Prize Selection Committee deems to have made outstanding scientific discovery or technological innovation that generate social and economic benefits for the development of the continent.  Such breakthroughs may be based on advanced research in higher educational or research institutions or based on empirical observations derived from indigenous and local knowledge systems.

The responsibility for selecting the laureate of the Olusegun Obasanjo Prize lies with the International Prize Committee which applies a comprehensive selection procedure to ensure that those who are awarded the Olusegun Obasanjo Prize meet the highest standards of scientific or technological breakthroughs. Such breakthroughs should have either direct or indirect, but significant positive impact on sustainable development, including management of natural resources, and protection of the environment with national or regional significance.

Themes

• The Chief Obasanjo Prize will be awarded in each of the following fields:
  • Biotechnology;
  • Energy;
  • Information and communication technologies and;
  • Material sciences.

Funding Information

• The Prize, which shall be awarded every two years, has four components:
  • A cash award of US$5,000 (this may be reviewed and adjusted by the Governing Council (GC) of the AAS);
  • An Inscribed Gold Medal;
  • A Citation in form of a certificate and;
  • Election into AAS Fellowship.
• The Prize may be awarded to an individual or jointly to two or more persons who will share the cash award in equal amounts.

Eligibility Criteria

• A major criterion of the International Prize Committee is that the nominee(s) is (are) evaluated on his/her (their) merit and achievement.  The other criteria are as follows:
  • The nominee(s) should be actively involved in the scientific or technological area in which s/he has made noticeable contribution;
  • The nominee’s works should be either already patented or has the potential to lead to a patent;
  • The nominee’s work should have multiplier effect.
• The Prize is open to all African scientists and technologists and does not recognize gender, ethnic, or geographical differences. National scientists and Fellows in the employment of or who serve as senior advisors to the AAS are not eligible for nomination. Similarly, the award may not be made to any person who is a current member of the governing organs of the AAS.

For more information, visit The African Academy of Sciences.