BY FOLASHADE KEHINDE
THE Tertiary Education Trust Fund has approved N1bn each for 12 universities to enable them to address what it called specific national development challenges.
The universities, which will together get N12bn, and which have been named the “pioneer Centres of Excellence”, were picked from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.
They will get the grant for five years.
Executive Secretary, TETFund, Suleiman Bogoro, who disclosed this at the inauguration of the 12 Maiden Centres of Excellence, said with the approval, the beneficiary institutions would be able to address specific national development challenge “through the preparation of professionals, applied research and associated outreach activities to partners, especially community services.”
The institutions include University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, University of Abuja, University of Jos, and Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa University, Bauchi, among others.
Bogoro said, “Two selected centres in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country are expected to ensure the strengthening and sustainability of the Centres beyond the year 2025.
“In North Central, the University of Abuja and University of Jos have been selected as Centres of Excellence in Public Governance and Leadership and Food security respectively…
“The North East has Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi TETFund Centre of Excellence in food security and the University of Maiduguri has the Centre of Excellence in Arid Zone Research and Development.”
He noted that for the North West, Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, had the Centre of Excellence in Urology and Nephrology, while Bayero University, Kano, had in Renewable Energy.
He said, “South East has the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, in Root Crop Research, Development and Agriculture Transitional Studies, respectively.
“Moreso, in the South South, the University of Benin and the University of Uyo got Centres of Excellence in Aquaculture and Food Technology; Computational Intelligence and Multi-Disciplinary Studies, respectively, while the South West has the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos in Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management.”
