The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology (MoHERST) today officially launched the Technical Review Committee for the Successor National Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (NSTIP) 2027–2035.
Speaking at the launch, the Honourable Minister, Professor Pierre Gomez, emphasized the importance of strengthening The Gambia’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) ecosystem. Reflecting on the summative evaluation of the NSTIP 2015–2024, he noted that none of the policy’s twelve core objectives had been fully achieved due to structural challenges, including the absence of a legal framework, limited sustainable financing, and the lack of a national monitoring system.
Despite these challenges, the Minister highlighted significant milestones achieved in recent years, including the establishment of the National Research and Innovation Fund (NRIF), the growth of the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology as a Centre of Excellence with support from the World Bank, and the creation of the UNiPOD Innovation Hub with support from the United Nations Development Programme.
“These developments mean that the NSTIP 2027–2035 does not start from zero. It begins from the strongest institutional foundation in the history of science, technology, and innovation in The Gambia,” the Minister stated.
The NSTIP 2027–2035 is structured around ten strategic pillars, including governance and legislation, research and development financing, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, STEM human capital development, gender equity, climate technology, the national innovation ecosystem, open data, and regional collaboration.
The policy sets ambitious national targets to be achieved by 2035, including increasing the number of researchers to 150 per million inhabitants, reaching 450 peer-reviewed publications annually, achieving 40 percent fixed broadband penetration, and ensuring that women constitute 50 percent of the country’s researchers.
The Minister urged members of the Technical Review Group to conduct a rigorous, independent assessment of the draft policy to ensure it is financially viable, legally coherent, and realistic within the Gambian context. The Committee will review the draft over six to eight weeks and submit its recommendations to Cabinet for approval.
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