TETFUND Says Research Can Solve Nigeria’s Problems, Budgets N7.5 Billion For Grants

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Suleiman Elias Bogoro, has said that research works of Nigerian lecturers and students should be able to proffer solutions to the nation’s challenges, thereby culminating in socio-economic development.

TETFUND disclosed this in a Facebook post on Sunday.

The ES of Tetfund who recently commissioned a five billion naira project at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, said that the aim of research should be to reposition the society towards progress, rather than the researchers just being award recipients.

He also called for a change of mindset regarding access to research grants.

“It is disheartening to discover that research is now tailored more on promotions and certifications rather than solving problems. This trend must change by employing quality renewed academic leadership and attitude,” he added.

Bogoro also said that the nation was counting on local content inventions and ideas to among other things, improve businesses, technologies, governance and create jobs.

“Research on problem solving suitable for our Nigerian content and environmental growth are the best option for industrial development,” he said.

Furthermore, he stressed that the sum of 7.5 billion naira has been set aside to fund problem-solving researches.

“In the TETFund budget for the year 2020, we are adding 50 per cent of what we disbursed last year for research grants. We are budgeting this year the sum of N7.5 billion as against N5 billion earmarked for research grants last year,” he said.

He also said that “TETFund will fund 12 centres of Excellence for innovative research in the six geopolitical zones with two centres each in each of the zones in the country and the centres will be promoted with special funds allocation in each of the zones.”

He also lauded some Nigeria’s universities for breaking limits in the area of research.

“Nigerian universities are becoming stronger, competing with foreign universities in terms of quality research harvest and academic excellence”.

Recall that Covenant University had been ranked the best institution in term of research, according to SciVal computations.

According to Tetfund, the four projects fully funded include the Central Laboratory Block and College of Medicine (Phase II) both in Gubi Campus, the Clinical Complex, College of Medicine, ATBU Teaching Hospital and Centre for Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Development in Tafawa-Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.