President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the disbursement of N4,249,626,817.69 for the funding of 158 research projects under the 2024 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF) Grant Cycle.
The approval followed the recommendation of the TETFund National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC), which carried out a rigorous screening of 6,944 Concept Notes submitted by researchers nationwide. Out of these, 158 proposals were selected for funding based on merit and relevance.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs at TETFund, Abdulmumin Oniyangi, a breakdown of the approved funds shows that N2.34 billion was allocated to the Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) thematic group, N1.02 billion to Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), and N870.7 million to Cross-Cutting (CC) research themes.
Institutions with the highest number of successful projects include the Federal University of Technology, Minna with 15 awards valued at N400 million, Ahmadu Bello University with 13 awards worth N359 million, and the Federal University of Technology, Akure with 12 projects amounting to N341 million. Others are the Federal University of Technology, Owerri with 11 approved proposals, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University with 10, and the University of Ilorin with eight awards.
The funded research projects include a wide range of innovative topics such as the development of sustainable eco-friendly walling systems for low-cost housing in rural communities, the creation of hybrid cubic fertilizers using plant-based binders, intelligent aerial robotics for weed and disease management in maize-cowpea farms, AI-enabled Internet of Medical Things for military physiological monitoring, and intelligent energy management metering systems.
The National Research Fund was established by TETFund to encourage research that addresses Nigeria’s pressing development needs in areas such as health, power, security, agriculture, and employment generation. The initiative is a core component of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, aimed at boosting the economy and improving living standards.
In a related development, the Federal Government has also approved the establishment of 18 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hubs in TETFund beneficiary institutions across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones as part of the Fund’s 2024 intervention programme. These hubs will be equipped with modern facilities such as electronic labs, 3D printing labs, laser technology, product design studios, robotics and coding workstations, and artificial intelligence systems.
Oniyangi noted that the aim of the hubs is to facilitate the uptake of research outcomes and provide practical, solution-driven environments where ideas and findings can be transformed into tangible innovations within the Nigerian ecosystem.
Additionally, under the 2025 intervention cycle, the Federal Government has allocated funds to support the creation of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centres in 15 institutions. These include Federal University Dutse, University of Uyo, and University of Ibadan, which are to receive N1 billion each, while twelve other polytechnics and colleges of education will receive N750 million each for the same purpose.
