A Tanzanian professor of life sciences and bio-engineering, Hulda Swai, has been announced the 2020 winner of the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Continental Awards for Scientific Excellence.

Her work in the area of using nanotechnology to study more effective anti-malarial medicines is behind her rise to the award. Through the World Bank, she has also helped to secure millions of dollars to fund research across the continent.

"I'm using nanotechnology, which is my training and expertise, to improve the availability of existing herbal extracts which are very potent but are lacking for example solubility," she told the BBC.

The award has been given since 2008 by the African Union (AU) Commission as part of its drive to promote science, technology and innovation.

The 66-year-old professor will officially be crowned today during a virtual ceremony. She will earn the prestigious award together with a cash prize of $20,000.

"Science is not that difficult, its just a myth, women are as good as men," she added.

The academic who currently works with the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) told The Citizen, a Tanzanian portal that she was not surprised at her feat.

“It is sweet news but I’m not entirely surprised. Science has been part of my life since childhood.”

AU Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology Prof. Sarah Anyang’Agbor said the Tanzanian scholar had been awarded for her excellence in science.