The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has set up an ad hoc committee to establish central multipurpose laboratories in select universities in Nigeria. The move aims to provide the necessary infrastructure to support research and development (R&D) in the country.
Sonny Echono, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, inaugurated the committee on Monday in Abuja. He emphasized the importance of investing in R&D as a driver of economic growth and prosperity. Echono stated, “Developing our human capital and providing research infrastructure are essential for accelerated national development and global competitiveness.”
TETFund is committing substantial funding to research programs and projects to institutionalize R&D in Nigeria and address national challenges. The agency has awarded 727 research grants, amounting to over N18 billion, under the National Research Fund (NRF) to support applied research across academic disciplines.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, TETFund allocated N260,280,393.00 to fund eight research projects, including the development of laboratory infrastructure to support the Nigerian Government’s response.
This effort to establish multipurpose laboratories stems from a report by the Nigerian Academy of Science, which highlighted the lack of facilities and equipment for conducting studies in some institutions. It also revealed a deficit in critical laboratory infrastructure required to produce meaningful research outcomes.
The ad hoc committee, established under the 2023 Special Intervention, will work towards the establishment of two central multipurpose laboratories in the Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria. The committee, chaired by Emeritus Professor Olufemi Bamiro, has been given one month to submit its report.
Echono believes that improving the global ranking of Nigerian universities is dependent on investing in research infrastructure. The goal is to have laboratories in all six geo-political zones in the country in the coming years.
The terms of reference for the ad hoc committee include making recommendations for the scope and effective establishment of the laboratories, selecting the beneficiary institutions, determining the necessary infrastructure and equipment, and providing any other recommendations to achieve the strategic objectives of establishing the laboratories. Bamiro, in his acceptance speech, expressed confidence in the committee’s ability to revitalize research and training in Nigeria.
Members of the committee consist of experts in various disciplines, ensuring comprehensive coverage in areas such as food science and technology, energy, engineering, parasitology, medicine, biochemistry, nuclear physics, and architecture.
This initiative by TETFund to establish multipurpose laboratories will undoubtedly strengthen the research culture in Nigerian universities, enabling them to contribute significantly to knowledge production and national development.
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