UNILORIN VC Advocates Stronger Research Culture as AWAU Adopts Strategic Resolutions

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, who also chairs the Steering Committee of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), has called for a renewed focus on research culture, innovation, and regional collaboration among West African universities to drive development across the sub-region.

The call emerged from the outcomes of the 11th Annual Conference and 13th Annual General Meeting of AWAU, held from Tuesday, February 17, to Friday, February 20, 2026, at the Foreign Service Academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The event was officially opened by the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Kabba, who pledged government support for advancing intellectual engagement and quality assurance in the region’s higher education sector.

In a communiqué released at the close of the conference, participants highlighted several challenges facing West African universities, including heavy reliance on Western frameworks for research, underutilisation of indigenous knowledge systems, and regulatory inconsistencies that limit cross-border academic mobility.

To address these gaps, the conference adopted several key resolutions:

• Strengthen research sovereignty through regionally recognised journals and robust local peer-review systems.
• Integrate Artificial Intelligence into teaching, research, and governance to advance scientific development and economic growth.
• Embrace the linguistic, cultural, and institutional diversity of West Africa as a strength for collaborative research.
• Harmonise qualification frameworks and accreditation systems to facilitate academic mobility.
• Deepen the triple-helix model of university-industry-government collaboration to promote innovation-driven development.

The conference urged participants to build sustainable research ecosystems that align innovation with quality assurance systems while promoting Africa-led research agendas grounded in local knowledge and global best practices.

The leadership of AWAU was also tasked with seeking an audience with the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to consolidate strategies aimed at enhancing regional cooperation in higher education and research.

The event brought together delegates from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Morocco, who commended the Government of Sierra Leone and the Local Organising Committee for the successful hosting of the conference.

This strategic push reflects a growing consensus that West African universities must champion locally driven research, foster innovation, and leverage regional collaboration to remain globally competitive.