Summit urges Africa to spend 5% of GDP on R&D by 2063

African higher education policymakers have set an ambition for the continent to spend 5% of its GDP on research and development by the year 2063.

Higher education minister, vice-chancellors, academics, students and donors made the declaration at the African Higher Education Summit held in Dakar, Senegal from 10 to 12 March.

In 2009 Africa’s total gross domestic expenditure on R&D was a paltry 0.4 per cent of GDP, the summit declaration states. This, it says, should increase to 1 per cent of GDP by 2020, and reach 5 per cent of GDP by 2063.