Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has approved N7.5 billion in research grants for 174 projects aimed at boosting innovation, research capacity and national development across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Gatekeepers News reports that TETFund disclosed that the grants, ranging from N13.6 million to N49.97 million per project, will support research in strategic sectors including health and social welfare, agriculture, science and engineering, power and energy, renewable energy, defence technology and security studies.
The intervention forms part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s research ecosystem, enhance the global competitiveness of its tertiary institutions and promote practical innovations capable of driving economic growth.
Among the institutions with the highest number of approved projects are the Federal University of Technology, Minna with 18 grants, Federal University of Technology, Owerri with 11 grants, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with 10 grants, University of Ilorin with eight grants, Bayero University, Kano with seven grants, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka with seven grants, and the University of Jos with six grants.
The University of Ibadan, University of Lagos and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto each secured five grants under the intervention.
TETFund also confirmed that newly established federal universities, state-owned institutions, polytechnics and colleges of education were among the beneficiaries.
The new federal universities included in the programme are the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia in Kaduna State, the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Koroma/Saakpenwa in Rivers State, and the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti.
State-owned institutions benefiting from the grants include Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Ekiti State University, Kwara State University, Adamawa State University, Rivers State University and Sokoto State University.
Several polytechnics were also captured under the initiative, including Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro; Federal Polytechnic, Bida; Federal Polytechnic, Nekede; Federal Polytechnic, Moguno; Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji; Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi; Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri; Yaba College of Technology; Kaduna Polytechnic; and Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto.
Among the colleges of education benefiting from the grants are the College of Education, Katsina; Osun State College of Education, Ilesa; and Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-Ma.
TETFund said the research-focused intervention is expected to stimulate the development of new products and services, improve productivity and contribute significantly to national development and economic prosperity.
