The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has disclosed a significant investment of over N23 billion in research endeavors across Nigeria.
Dr. Hadiza Ismail, Assistant Director of Research and Development (R&D) at TETFund, revealed this figure during a validation workshop titled “Strengthening Research and Innovation Funding Agencies in West Africa,” held in Abuja.
Dr. Ismail, representing the Director of TETFund’s R&D, reiterated the agency’s steadfast commitment to establishing a Science Granting Council in Nigeria.
She emphasized TETFund’s role in providing financial support for research through the National Research Fund, with a focus on aligning research outcomes with industrial applications to foster national development.
Addressing the workshop attendees, Dr. Ismail highlighted the funding allocation, stating, “The Fund has disbursed over N23 billion towards approximately 912 research projects.” She underscored the workshop’s significance in bridging the gap between research initiatives and industrial relevance, stressing the imperative for tangible outcomes to propel Nigeria’s progress.
Professor Nicholas Ozor, Executive Director of the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), emphasized the workshop’s objective of bolstering national research councils across six West African nations. He expressed concern over Nigeria’s lack of a dedicated national research and innovation funding agency, citing its detrimental impact on securing foreign grants for research endeavours.
Echoing these sentiments, Professor Peter Onwualu, President of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in Abuja, underscored the pivotal role of innovation in driving Nigeria’s development agenda.
He emphasized the need for a robust institutional framework to support research activities nationwide, emphasizing the workshop’s goal of establishing a functional science granting council capable of financing research across various sectors of the economy.
