The Federal Government of Nigeria has greenlit the disbursement of N5.1 billion for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund 2023 Grant Cycle.
This substantial research grant is designed to allocate funds to researchers addressing critical areas of the economy and the welfare of Nigerians.
The approval was announced by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, following the comprehensive report submitted by the TETFund National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC).
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Prof. Mamman elaborated on the allocation of the approved sum, delineating the distribution for various thematic areas. Notably, N3.78 million is allocated for the Science, Engineering, Technology, and Innovation (SETI) thematic group, N759,875,400.00 for Humanities and Social Science (HSS), and N583,669,300.63 for Cross-Cutting (CC). Individual grants within these categories range from N8 million to over N46 million.
The Screening and Monitoring Committee, after a meticulous screening process initiated in March 2023, recommended funding for 185 research proposals out of 4,287 Concept Notes submitted by prospective applicants.
Prof. Mamman emphasized the purpose of the research grant, stating, “The National Research Fund (NRF) Grant was introduced by TETFund to encourage cutting-edge research that explores areas relevant to the societal needs of Nigeria, such as power and energy, health, security, agriculture, employment, and wealth creation, etc., in line with its mandate.”
He further highlighted the additional impetus received under the Renewed Hope Agenda, considering the NRF Grant as a vital tool to foster economic growth and enhance the standards of living for the Nigerian people.
Here are details of the approved thematic research areas that will receive funding:
Science, Engineering, Technology, and Innovation (SETI) Thematic Category:
- Application of the hydro-biogeochemical framework to develop a national rural water quality assurance plan for sustainable water quality management in Nigeria.
- The development and use of doubled haploid maize lines for improved maize yield and tolerance to armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda).
- The development of an intelligent multi-chamber evaporative cooling preservative system for post-harvest storage of selected fruits in Nigeria.
- The development of electric vehicles with special tracking features, among others.
Cross-Cutting Thematic Category:
- The utilization of scrap tires and plastic wastes as an aggregate conductive material for renewable energy storage systems.
- Development of appropriate technology for the production of aluminum alloy sacrificial anodes for applications in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry.
- Development of an economical low-voltage programmable electroporator and investigating pulse electric field for wound healing and cancer treatment.
Humanities and Social Science Category:
- Digital financial inclusion for rural households’ consumption structure and well-being in Nigeria.
- Creating access to library resources for students living with vision impairment in an e-learning environment in Nigerian Universities.
- Initiatives for mitigating post-traumatic stress disorder among frontline Nigerian Army Personnel using stress inoculation therapy, among others.
This significant investment in research is said to reflect Nigeria’s commitment to advancing knowledge, fostering innovation, and addressing societal challenges for the betterment of its citizens.