Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has allocated more than N23 billion towards funding research projects throughout Nigeria.
Dr. Hadiza Ismail, the Assistant Director of Research and Development at TETFund, revealed this information during a workshop in Abuja focused on enhancing research and innovation funding agencies in West Africa.
She emphasized TETFund’s dedication to establishing a Science Granting Council in Nigeria and highlighted the importance of connecting research outcomes to industry for national development.
TETFund has supported 912 research projects with the funds, but there is a push to ensure that these projects lead to tangible outcomes that benefit Nigeria.
Professor Nicholas Ozor, the Executive Director of the African Technology Policy Studies Network, stressed the necessity of a national research and innovation funding agency in Nigeria to attract foreign grants for research.
Currently, TETFund is serving as a temporary representative council, but efforts are being made to establish a dedicated agency within the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
Professor Peter Onwualu, the President of the African University of Science and Technology in Abuja, highlighted the significance of innovation in driving development and expressed optimism that the workshop would pave the way for a functional science granting council in Nigeria.
The goal is to create an institutional framework that supports research across various sectors of the economy, including universities, polytechnics, research institutes, private sector organizations, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and even informal sector innovators.
This initiative aims to transition research efforts into tangible goods and services that can contribute to economic growth and progress in Nigeria.