The “remarkable recent economic growth” in many African countries may be able to sustain science through domestic funding (rather than through external sources) — but a lack of scientists and research capacity is threatening to reel back that economic growth, a meeting has heard.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of many African countries has been growing at a rate of 6–8% each year, amounting to almost doubling of GDPs every decade, according to Chris Whitty, chief scientific adviser and director of research at the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Whitty was speaking at the launch of the Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building Initiative, at the Royal Society in London.