Dennis Gabriel
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Government has approved ₦4.2 billion in grants for 158 research projects across Nigerian universities and polytechnics, under the 2024 cycle of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF).
The fund, aimed at fostering high-impact, homegrown research, comes under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and supports science, engineering, humanities, and cross-disciplinary innovation.
In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs for the executive Secretary, TETFund, Abdulmumin Oniyangi and made available to Africa Health Report on Tuesday, a breakdown shows ₦2.3 billion goes to Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI), ₦1.03 billion to Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), and ₦870 million to Cross-Cutting research.
Top beneficiaries include Federal University of Technology, Minna (₦400m, 15 awards), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (₦359m, 13 awards), and FUTA, Akure (₦341m, 12 awards).
Some of the approved projects include the development of eco-friendly walling systems for rural housing, hybrid plant-based fertilisers, intelligent aerial robotics for farmland, and AI-enabled medical monitoring systems for military use.
In a related move, the government has also greenlit the establishment of 18 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hubs across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones. The hubs will host labs in 3D printing, robotics, AI, laser tech, and product design. “The goal is to translate research into real-world solutions,” said Oniyangi, adding that another ₦1 billion each will go to three universities — Federal University Dutse, University of Uyo, and University of Ibadan — under TETFund’s 2025 intervention.
