TETFund commits N9b to research in tertiary institutions

The executive secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro, has revealed that the agency committed over N9 billion to the National Research Fund (NRF) with a view to promoting applied research and innovation in the country.

Bogoro made the disclosure, yesterday, at the opening of the 35th Annual Conference of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) held at Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil.

He explained that the intervention awarded to all public tertiary institutions and research institutes was designed to drive the socio-economic development of Nigeria in an increasingly globalised and competitive knowledge-driven economy.

Represented by Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, a director at TETFund, Bogoro said the grants covered Artificial Intelligence, environment and waste management among others.

He noted that universities in developing countries were still battling with the stigma of being viewed as substandard and irrelevant to contemporary needs. He said, nevertheless, they remain centres of excellence especially in research and scientific training.

He urged university administrators to utilise the opportunities that abound in TETFund’s initiative. He also gave assurance of the agency’s readiness to support universities in delivering on their mandate for providing leadership especially in the areas of research and development.

Bogoro said: “We at TETFund are convinced that R&D (research and development) is a major driver of economic development and technological growth of nations. It will not only contribute to the development of a mature and productive academic system in Nigeria but also to scientific innovations that will be useful to domestic industries among others.

“I must emphasise that tertiary institutions all over the world are usually the key drivers of R&D activities and hence technological and economic growth catalysts. That is why we have elected to promote and support the institutionalisation of R&D in public tertiary institutions to find a progressive and sustainable driver of economic growth.”

Chief host of the conference, Vice-Chancellor, KUST, Wudil, Prof. Shehu Alhaji Musa, lauded the privilege afforded the university to host the 35th conference. He explained that TETFund immensely enhanced infrastructural development and facilitated the intellectual capacity of the academic staff of the institution especially in training and learning facilities.