Ghana must build stronger pathways from research to industry — Brogya Genfi

Ghana must strengthen collaboration between research institutions, industry and policymakers to turn ideas generated in universities and research centres into practical solutions, products, services and public policy, Presidential Adviser on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness Ernest Brogya Genfi has said.

Brogya Genfi said the country did not lack innovative talent or ideas but faced challenges in translating research into solutions that could be applied at scale.

He made the remarks on behalf of Chief of Staff Julius Debrah at the opening of the second Applied Research Conference of Accra Technical University (ARCATU 2026) in Accra.

The conference, held under the theme, “Applied Research and Innovation for Sustainable and Resilient Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” brought together researchers, academics, policymakers, industry practitioners, development partners and students.

“Ghana doesn’t lack ideas. Across our universities and research centres, we are researching and developing new ways of doing things. Our main challenge is moving these ideas into use,” Brogya Genfi said.

He said applied research must be centred on clearly identified problems and generate results that could be tested, refined and deployed to address real-world challenges.

“We must become better at turning research into products, services and businesses and sound public policy. This is the central purpose of applied research,” he added.

Brogya Genfi said the need for stronger links between research and practical application had become more urgent as Ghana faced rapid technological change, climate pressures, population growth and rising demands on public services.

He noted that advances in technology were reshaping how people worked, communicated, learned and conducted business, while climate change was placing additional pressure on communities, livelihoods and national systems.

He therefore urged researchers and innovators to align their work more closely with Ghana’s development priorities and local conditions.

“We cannot respond to these challenges with bold answers alone. We need research that is connected to our national priorities. We need innovation that is suited to our conditions. We also need institutions that are willing to work together,” he said.

He called for deeper collaboration among academia, government, industry and other stakeholders to establish stronger pathways for research to move from laboratories and academic institutions into practical applications.

Such collaboration, he said, would help ensure that research and innovation delivered measurable benefits to society while contributing to Ghana’s economic and sustainable development.

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