Mozilla Foundation - Open Science: Why Should African Researchers Care?

Open Science has gained popularity among researchers in many regions of the world. But scepticism abounds among African researchers, and research remains generally closed in Africa. Why is this? As with any new technology or process, there is resistance — especially when it seems imposed and foreign, and with no clear benefits to "us." As much as we would want to say science is an equalising factor, I am not blind to reality — African researchers fear negative consequences of open science, and rightfully so. There is a feeling that there is a lot to lose, and many barriers exist that hinder the adoption of open science practices.