Digital and open infrastructure is the backbone of modern research endeavours in a world increasingly interconnected by technology. Digital platforms have revolutionised how knowledge is created, disseminated, and utilised, from facilitating data sharing to enabling global collaboration. In Nigeria, where access to research resources and information can be limited, leveraging digital infrastructure is advantageous and imperative for driving scientific progress.

This formed the core of the insightful deliberations at the 2024 Eko-Konnect Users Conference held in Lagos, Nigeria. This year’s conference brought together stakeholders and experts to delve into the theme – “Empowering Research and Education Ecosystem with Digital and Open Infrastructure.”

Keynote speakers underscored the importance of utilising Digital and Open Science infrastructures, such as Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) and Educational Identities, to amplify the visibility of researchers and their outputs on a global scale. By embracing these technologies, collaboration within the international research ecosystem becomes more seamless, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange.

Eko-Konnect, as part of its strategic initiatives for the year, has pledged increased support, advocacy, and capacity building for Research and Education (R&E) communities across Nigeria. This commitment includes the development of open science infrastructure, institutional repositories, and the widespread adoption of Persistent Identifiers. In collaboration with organisations like Datacite and ORCID, these efforts are expected to significantly amplify research visibility and scholarly outputs nationwide, thereby advancing the Nigerian research and education landscape.

The LIBSENSE Research Data Management workshop, facilitated by WACREN, bolstered the capacity and awareness of data management practices among participants who represented various higher education and research institutions. Additionally, an Open Access Book workshop provided insights into democratising access to scholarly literature, further advancing the principles of open science.

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