Mirian Gom 
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Executive Secretary, NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, during the launch of the ACE Alliance in Abuja.
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has launched the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Alliance, a new platform designed to sustain collaboration, innovation, and research capacity across universities, while also unveiling a four-volume compendium highlighting key achievements of the ACE Project in Nigeria.
Speaking during the launch in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the initiative reaffirms the government’s commitment to building a globally competitive higher education system.
“This gathering is a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to excellence, innovation, and global competitiveness,” Alausa said.
He explained that the ACE Alliance unites 20 Centres of Excellence to “consolidate gains, enhance visibility, and amplify Nigeria’s voice on the global stage.”
The ACE Project, initially funded by the World Bank and later co-financed by the French Development Agency, aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The Minister confirmed backing for new funding engagements with AfDB, IsDB, and BADEA “to further revitalise university education”.
Executive Secretary, NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, said the Centres have produced more than 6,600 postgraduates, including 1,596 PhDs, and published over 4,200 research papers. “Nigeria has proven that our universities can be globally competitive,” Ribadu said.
National Project Coordinator, Dr Joshua Atah, said the Alliance marks the transition “from a project to a movement”.
The Minister officially declared the ACE Alliance and the Compendium launched.
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Korede Abdullah