The Africa Chapter of INGSA thanks all those who responded to the 2021 INGSA-Africa – 2021 Call for Academic and Technical papers on science advice in emergencies.

The six papers submitted showed varying degrees of quality and content. Making a final decision on the winners was therefore not so easy.

INGSA-Africa has the pleasure in announcing the two best submissions as follows:

• Isolation and Identification of Hydrocarbons- Degrading Bacteria from Panteka Stream, Kaduna, Nigeria, and Assessment of their Potential for Bioremediation

– Dr Elizabeth Nwagwu, Department of Biological Sciences, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria.

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnostics: Key to Africa’s Recovery

– Dr Shymaa Enany, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

CONGRATULATIONS to the two winners. Each winner will receive a cash award of Three Hundred Euros (€300) towards travel to present the winning paper at a regional or international conference.