Nigerian researchers are optimistic this week that science funding and infrastructure will improve after two former scientists were elected to lead the country."We are hopeful," said Oyekanmi Nash, program director of the West African Biotechnology Worshops Series, based at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. "We are happy that for the first time in Nigeria's history we have a president and vice president who are both scientists." Last week, President Umar Musa Yar'Adua, a chemistry graduate, and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, who holds a PhD in zoology, took office after elections that were peaceful but clouded by accusations of corruption.Nigerian science has already made significant gains over the past eight years under the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, Nash said. "Even before this election, the previous government had been re-awakening funding to science and technology. We hope that [the new leaders] will advance that work." For example, in 2004,...

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