Improved research funding critical to raising education standard – Researchers

Until the nation prioritises funding of research and research institutes, the education sector would remain in the woods, so says Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso Nanotechnology Research Group (NANO).

The NANO+, LAUTECH group said this in a statement announcing its 2nd annual workshop/conference on nanotechnology tagged ‘LAUTECH NANO 2018’ slated for October 23 to 25 in Ogbomosho.  

The theme of the conference: ‘Nanotechnology for sustainable development: prospects for Africa’ is expected to draw scholars, policy makers and participants from within and outside Nigeria in agriculture, life sciences, physical sciences, environmental sciences, engineering and medical fields to discuss research activities that can engender development in Africa through the multidisciplinary field of nanotechnology. 

The research group, headed by Mr. Agbaje Lateef, a Professor of Microbiology in the Department of Pure and Applied Biology, LAUTECH, involved dedicated scholars from the fields of Physics, Engineering, Biochemistry, Botany, Microbiology and Zoology.

At the group’s maiden National Workshop on Synthesis, Characterisation and Applications of Nanoparticles held between August 21 and 24, 2017, African leaders were urged to invest in nanotechnology to aid development. 

Lateef said the research group activities have led to enormous contribution to knowledge in the field of nanotechnology through publications in journals and training of manpower. 

The group was described as a focused and productive research cluster in Nigeria in the field of biomimetic nanotechnology by the first Professor of nanotechnology in Nigeria, Enock O. Dare, of the Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, who delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the maiden workshop held in August, 2017.