SHARPER consortium launches to advance equitable pandemic preparedness and research benefit sharing in Africa

The SHARPER Project, a consortium of six partner institutions in six African countries, was launched to strengthen Africa’s health systems capacity to respond to pandemics in a more equitable and coordinated manner. Central to the project’s mission is improving how research benefits are shared with African communities, ensuring that populations participating in or affected by health research can access knowledge, innovations, and health system improvements that emerge from scientific work.

Thus, the inception meeting that was held in September 2025 at the University of Ibadan, the lead institution in Nigeria, gave representatives from the partner institutions an opportunity to develop the governance structure, research priorities, and operational strategies that will guide the consortium’s activities in the coming years.

While introducing the project to the management team of the University of Ibadan, the Principal Investigator, Prof Ademola Ajuwon reflected on the values of SHARPER, emphasising that, “in addition to its research activities, SHARPER will support early-career researchers through several targeted initiatives, such as Catalyst Grants to stimulate innovative research ideas, Research and Innovation Fellowships designed to build advanced research skills, Exchange Awards that enable cross-institutional collaboration and learning, and Short Courses aimed at strengthening competencies in pandemic research, policy engagement, and knowledge translation.”

Speaking further, Prof Leslie London, the Lead PI from the University of Cape Town, added that “these initiatives are intended to expand the pipeline of African researchers capable of leading interdisciplinary work on pandemic preparedness, benefit sharing, and health systems resilience.”

Ultimately, SHARPER aims to translate research output into practical policies, stronger research institutions, and more inclusive research practices that ensure communities benefit from scientific progress. Through sustained collaboration and investment in capacity development, the consortium aims to contribute to a more equitable and responsive framework for pandemic preparedness across Africa.

Article by: Adams Adeshola | [email protected]