The Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota, Prof. Olalekan Asikhia, has urged the Federal Government to develop a coherent national research policy and significantly increase funding for research and innovation to drive national development.

Prof. Asikhia made the call on Wednesday while speaking ahead of the institution’s 15th Convocation Ceremony, stressing that Nigeria must move beyond policy rhetoric and demonstrate genuine commitment by investing adequately in research.
“For Nigeria to improve its research and innovation capacity and contribute meaningfully to nation-building, funding must be taken seriously,” he said. “The country must move beyond merely reciting mission statements and begin to invest substantially in research.”

He called for the establishment of a coherent national research policy, integrated into university curricula and implemented through the National Universities Commission (NUC) with effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance and measurable impact.
“There must be a coherent national research policy. This policy should be distilled through the NUC and backed by proper monitoring to ensure it delivers real value,” he said.

The vice-chancellor explained that Caleb University is repositioning its research architecture to be industry-driven and innovation-focused, noting that industry partners bring real-life challenges which are then assigned to researchers and students to develop practical solutions.
According to him, such an approach would bridge the long-standing gap between academia and industry, making research outcomes more relevant, applicable and impactful.

“By involving industry from the beginning, research outcomes become solutions-oriented and directly applicable to national development,” he said.
Prof. Asikhia also advocated a competitive research framework, where grants and prizes are awarded to institutions and teams that develop the best solutions to national challenges.

“Universities can then be ranked based on the quality of research solutions they produce. This competition will motivate institutions to focus on solving real societal problems,” he added.
He disclosed that the university hosted an international conference in September and October last year, bringing together key industry players as part of its strategy to deepen collaboration between academia and industry.

On staff welfare, the vice-chancellor revealed that Caleb University became one of the highest-paying private universities in Nigeria in October 2025 following the implementation of a new salary structure.
According to him, the agreement provides a 40 per cent salary increase, including ₦140,000 for professors and ₦80,000 for associate professors.

“Beyond salary, staff welfare remains our top priority. Salary alone does not guarantee well-being, and we are committed to continuous improvement in this area,” he said.