Olusegun Obasanjo Prize for Discovery and Innovation | $5,000 Award

Applications are now open for the 2024 Olusegun Obasanjo Prize for Scientific Discovery and/or Technological Innovation.

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. 

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.

Benefits:

• 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.

Eligible Themes

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

How to Apply?

• Click on the button below to visit the AAS website.
• Nominations are to be submitted on AAS Ishango Online System. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Please follow the instructions below.
• Follow this link to get to the AAS Ishango Online System: https://aasishango.ccgranttracker.com/
• Register as a new user if you have not used the system before. If you have used the system before, please proceed to step v.
• The system will email you a temporary password.
• Follow the link https://aasishango.ccgranttracker.com/ again to access the system
• Go to existing user and log in with your password (first time users will be requested to replace their temporary password with one of their choice).
• Once you log in go to new grant application and go to click here
• Select The Olusegun Obasanjo Prize for Scientific Discovery and/or Technological Innovation 2024 and click on apply to begin filling in the online form.
• Once you have provided all the required information, please validate and submit the form.
• Please contact Sheila Wetugi on Fellows Desk -AAS fellows@aasciences.africa if you need any clarification.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Deadline: May 3, 2024