The Federal Government has announced plans to secure 150 million dollars in funding support from the World Bank to enhance research and innovation across Nigerian universities.
The initiative is tied to the Africa Centres of Excellence Innovate Project, designed to strengthen advanced research capacity and drive innovation-led development in higher institutions.
Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, revealed the development in Abuja during the launch of the ACE Alliance and the unveiling of a four volume compendium highlighting the achievements of the ACE project in Nigeria. He explained that the new ACE Innovate phase would build on earlier gains and ensure universities continue to produce research that solves critical national challenges.
Ribadu stated that the project would run for four years and focus on key areas including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, agriculture, health, environmental studies, digital innovation and entrepreneurship. According to him, “the ACE Innovate Project will improve postgraduate training, research capacity and promote innovations that provide real solutions to national problems.”
He recalled that Nigeria had already attracted over 580 million dollars in funding support from the World Bank and the French Development Agency through earlier phases of the ACE programme. Ribadu noted that many institutions recorded breakthroughs that contributed to national growth and the new phase would deepen those achievements.
The NUC Executive Secretary emphasised that the ACE Alliance would strengthen collaboration between universities, industries, research bodies and regional partners to ensure research output is commercialised and translated into socio economic benefits. He added that the goal is to drive job creation, boost innovation and promote technology transfer across sectors.
Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, who officially launched the project, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to improving university research and innovation in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He commended the World Bank, AFD and other partners for their support, noting that the project has had “significant impact on teaching, research and institutional development” in Nigerian universities.