- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Government has approved N4.3 billion grant for the funding of 158 research projects under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF) 2024 Grant Cycle.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by TETFUND’s Public Affairs Director, Abddulmumin Oniyamgi.
According to the statement, the approval followed the report of the TETFund National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC) which recommended the funding of the 158 research proposals after a rigorous screening exercise which commenced with the receipt of 6,944 Concept Notes from various researchers.
While the sum of N2.4 billion was allocated to the Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) thematic group, N1.03 billion was approved for Humanities and Social Science (HSS) with Cross Cutting (CC) received N870.7 million.
The grant was spread across tertiary Institutions in Nigeria with the highest number of research awards.
The Federal University of Technology, Minna received N400 million for a total of 15 awarded research projects followed by Ahmadu Bello University with 13 awards totaling N360 million, and Federal University of Technology, Akure with 12 awards at N342 million.
Others are Federal University of Technology, Owerri with 11 awards at N256 million, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, with 10 awards at N273 million, and University of Ilorin with 8 awards totaling N220 million.
The approved research works include Development of Sustainable Eco-Friendly Walling System for Low-Cost Housing in the Rural Communities of Nigeria; Development of hybrid cubic fertilizer using plant-based binders for efficient nutrient release and utilization.
Others include Development of an Intelligent Aerial Robotics System for Efficient Weed and Disease Management in Maize-Cowpea Farmland in Nigeria; Development of an Artificial Intelligence-Enable Internet of Medical Things for Military Physiological Monitoring and Activity Recognition System at War Zone, and Development of a Novel Intelligent Electrical Energy Management Metering among others
According to the statement, the National Research Fund (NRF) Grant was introduced by TETFund to encourage cutting-edge research which explore research areas relevant to societal needs of Nigeria such as power and energy, health, security, agriculture, employment and wealth creation etc., in line with its mandate.
Also approved by the Federal Government is the establishment of 18 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hubs in TETFund Beneficiary Institutions across the six geo-political zones of the country in the 2024 Intervention of the Fund.
The Hubs will provide Core Labs/Workstation to cover Electronic Lab, 3D Printing Lab, Laser Technology Lab, Product Design Lab, Robotics and Coding, Artificial Intelligence, among others.
TETFund explained that the project is intended to facilitate and accelerate the uptake of promising research output, providing solution-driven and multidisciplinary hubs.
These are tailored towards the needs of Beneficiary Institutions where ideas and research findings can be domesticated and transformed into solutions for the Nigerian innovation ecosystem.
The Federal Government also approved the allocation of funds under the 2025 Intervention to 15 TETFund Beneficiary Institutions.
The institutions include Federal University Dutse, University of Uyo and University of Ibadan with an allocation of N1 billion each.
Others are Federal Polytechnic Bida; Taraba State Polytechnic, Jalingo; Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola; Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zuru; Kano State Polytechnic, Kano; and Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwana.
Also benefitting from the fund are Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi; Bayelsa State Polytechnic, Aliebiri; Federal Polytechnic, Ede; Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; College of Education (Technical) Kabba; and Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu, with allocations of N750 million each.