At the 10th Anniversary celebration of the Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) programme, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama emphasised that ‘the ACE Program has emerged as a model of distinction, fostering innovation, nurturing world-class expertise, and strengthening institutional capacities in critical sectors such as health, agriculture, engineering, and applied sciences’. President Mahama highlighted the ACE Program’s transformative journey as being a powerful testament to what can be achieved through collaboration in higher education. ‘From advancing cutting-edge research in infectious diseases and renewable energy to driving innovation in agriculture and digital technology, ACE has become a beacon of regional integration and cooperation and has demonstrated that when nations, institutions and development partners come together, the impact is exponential’- he added.
President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama
The 10th anniversary celebration of the ACE programme was successfully co-organised by the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), with the support of the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD). Held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana, from April 7-9, 2025, this high-level forum brought together over 500 esteemed stakeholders, including African governments, higher education institutions, industry leaders, development agencies, civil society representatives, and media professionals.
The formal opening session on April 7, 2025 also featured an opening message from Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education of the Republic of Ghana, and a high-level address from Mr. Ousmane Diagana, Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa at the World Bank. A short video presentation showcasing the ACE Program’s decade-long achievements, including key project highlights, was also screened for participants.
ACEs Impactful Contributions to National and Regional Economies
President John Mahama highlighted the pivotal role of the Centres of Excellence in transforming higher education and research as well as the economies of countries through their various impactful interventions in their respective focus areas.
He cited exemplary centres in Ghana, including the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), which has become a key player in enhancing agricultural productivity across the region, prioritising improving crop varieties and making significant strides in addressing food security in the subregion. Mention was also made of the highly trained graduates from WACCI who are now leaders in agricultural research, positively impacting food systems in Ghana and across the broader West African region.
The West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) was also recognised for its significant contributions to scientific research and innovation in health, particularly in the study and diagnosis of infectious diseases. WACCBIP’s achievements, as outlined during the president’s address included training a diverse pool of scientists who have played a pivotal role in advancing diagnostic tools and therapeutic methods, especially in the fight against emerging diseases. The centres’ immense role in researching and testing during the COVID-19 pandemic was said to be invaluable, further cementing its place as a leading health research institution.
Additionally, the West Africa Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC) was commended for its pioneering work in genetic research and counseling services, tackling genetic health issues such as sickle cell disease. As the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, WAGMC’s efforts in promoting genetic testing and awareness were underscored as being transformative, particularly in Ghana, where genetic health challenges are of major concern.
More generally, and beyond the Ghana- specific examples, the Centres of Excellence have made significant strides in enhancing graduate employability, advancing research, and promoting programme accreditation, outreach, and scholarly publications. For example, the Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa’s (CDT-Africa) research on clinical trials and medicine development has developed over 15 medicinal products with five submitted for patenting to the national intellectual property office in Ethiopia.
Julien Dushimimana, an alumni from the Africa Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development (ACEESD) in Rwanda, developed the Right Lamp Automatic Changeover Switch, a device that automates the process of switching between solar power and the national power grid.
Evidently, by fostering cutting-edge research and innovation, these centers have not only elevated Africa’s research landscape but also cultivated a new generation of accomplished African scientists, thereby positioning the continent as a pivotal player in global academic and research advancement.
The Future Prospects of ACE
Looking ahead, President Mahama envisioned a bright future for the ACE program, driven by the growing demand for research-led solutions, skilled professionals, and regionally relevant innovations. According to the President, the ACEs are uniquely positioned to meet this demand, serving as hubs of excellence that can catalyze socio-economic transformation across the continent. He added that with sustained support from governments, donors, and the private sector, these centers can amplify their impact, foster regional integration, and propel Africa toward a knowledge-based future.
The President further emphasized that collaboration in scientific research remains pivotal in addressing the key barriers in responding to Africa’s most pressing developmental challenges, including skills gaps in emerging industries and high capital costs in critical sectors like renewable energy. He stressed that strategic partnerships between universities, industry actors, and public institutions will be instrumental in ensuring that higher education responds to real economic needs
Recognising ACE’s Commitment to Gender Inclusivity in STEM
President Mahama commended the ACE Program for its remarkable contribution to promoting gender inclusion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, where women remain underrepresented. He noted the program’s impressive strides in increasing female enrollments, offering targeted scholarships, providing mentorship initiatives, and building institutional cultures that recognize and respond to the unique challenges faced by women in scientific and technical careers.
The President also emphasized that as Africa navigates the Fourth Industrial Revolution, addressing the shortage of advanced digital skills will be critical. In his vision for the ACE Program’s next decade, he underscored the importance of investment in higher education to drive Africa’s transformation and secure a brighter future for generations to come. By leveraging digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and robotics, ACEs can enhance program access and quality, ultimately empowering Africa’s brightest minds and ensuring the continent’s competitiveness and innovation on the global stage, he added.
Education Minister’s Message on Advancing Education and Research
In a high-level message to participants, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, Ghana’s Minister of Education, expressed the Ministry’s commitment to advancing higher education and research, assuring participants of President Mahama’s dedication to this cause. Notably, the President has directed the operationalization of a national research fund, with an initial allocation of US $5 million. Furthermore, the minister announced initiatives aimed at promoting academic excellence and supporting students. These include domestic scholarships, with a directive for every public university to receive dedicated funding from the Ghana Education Trust Fund to support the training of five PhD students locally. This initiative aims to build faculty capacity and enhance academic research. The government’s upcoming launch of a sanitary pad initiative to support young girls who struggle with absenteeism due to inability to afford menstrual products was also highlighted, in line with promoting girls’ education.
Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education of the Republic of Ghana
The minister also encouraged the ACE Programme to consider establishing can Africa Center of Excellence in Youth Empowerment and Youth Development, to address growing unemployment, including graduate unemployment, by providing critical skills and support.
Additionally, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu highlighted the government’s interest in traditional medicine, recognizing its potential benefits, as well as the interest in focusing on infrastructural development, calling on the World Bank and other partners to support this area. The Minister also emphasized the importance of enhancing academic freedom, underscoring the President’s commitment to this principle. Moreover, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu highlighted the importance of foundational learning in Africa, citing inadequacies in literacy and numeracy in the case of Ghana.
About the ACE Programme
The Africa’s Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE) program is the first large scale regional program funded by the World Bank in the higher education sector in Africa. Through a series of three projects – ACE1 (2014-2020); ACE2 (2016 to date); and ACE Impact (2019 to date)— the program has supported competitively selected ACEs with specializations in regional development priority areas to deliver high-quality postgraduate training, skills-upgrading for professionals, applied research, entrepreneurship and innovation in priority sectors such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), agriculture, health, environment, and education. Across these projects, the World Bank has committed a total of US$657 million in support to participating governments, with an additional co-financing of US$72 million equivalent from the French Development Agency (AFD) for the ACE Impact project. In total, the ACE Program has supported some 80 centers in more than 50 universities across 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Association of African Universities (AAU) has provided regional facilitation support for two phases of the program: ACE I and ACE Impact, while the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) serves as the regional facilitation unit for ACE II, underscoring shared regional coordination efforts.
ACE Comms Team
