Summary box • All countries, including low- and middle-income countries, need robust health research capacity • The research capacity gap between global North and South is closing too slowly, and governments, funders, and academic institutions are not investing sufficiently to bridge this chasm • With two examples from collaborative research projects in sub-Saharan Africa, we illustrate how capacity development can be an integrated part of a joint research effort supported by all involved institutions • We advocate that research capacity development be valued as highly as evidence generation and be embedded in all global health research