Three senior lecturers from the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) have secured high-impact research grants of $282,800 (N423m) from two globally renowned institutions—Virginia Tech (USA) and Seeding Labs (Boston, USA)—in a major leap toward transforming the university into a hub for cutting-edge research in Africa.
The scholars are Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships, Research, Innovation and Linkages (SPRIL); Professor Olayide Samuel Lawal, Director of Research and Development; and Professor Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo, a leading industrial chemist and Schlumberger Foundation alumna.
Professor Ogunwole facilitated the acquisition of a Connected Autonomous Space Environment Sensor (CASES) GPS receiver, awarded by the Virginia Tech College of Engineering under its VT-NigerBEAR project. Valued at \$15,000, the GPS receiver will significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity for atmospheric and space weather research.
In the award letter, Professor Wayne A. Scales, Associate Vice Provost at Virginia Tech, lauded Prof. Ogunwole’s visionary academic leadership and expressed optimism about future joint research outcomes.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olubunmi Shittu, described the achievement as a “testament to FUOYE’s growing reputation as a centre for world-class research and international collaboration.”
In a related development, Professors Lawal and Akintayo led FUOYE’s successful bid for the Seeding Labs Instrumental Access Award, joining 137 institutions in 39 countries to benefit from the prestigious programme.
FUOYE’s Department of Chemistry has now received 163 laboratory items valued at $250,000, including PCR thermal cyclers, chromatography systems, rotary evaporators, and heating baths, set to dramatically boost research capacity across chemistry, agriculture, and related sciences.
Seeding Labs’ CEO, Dr. Melissa Wu, commended the application submitted by Professors Lawal and Akintayo, stating that FUOYE demonstrated the core values needed to unlock untapped scientific potential.
Thanks to Prof. Akintayo’s affiliation with the Schlumberger Foundation’s Faculty for the Future fellowship, FUOYE received a $17,800 subsidy, paying only $10,000 toward logistics and installation—a cost covered by the University’s management in support of the initiative.
“This is a major achievement for FUOYE and a proud moment for our Chemistry Department,” said Prof. Shittu. “It reflects the dedication of our faculty to excellence, innovation, and global engagement. We are positioning FUOYE to contribute meaningfully to scientific advancement across Africa and beyond.”
With these new facilities now on campus, FUOYE is set to scale new heights in interdisciplinary research, train the next generation of African scientists, and deepen its role in solving local and global challenges.
