Private Varsities, Others Begin Accessing TETFund’s N7.5bn Research Fund

By Kuni Tyessi

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) on Monday disclosed that private universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country are already accessing its N7.5 billion National Research Fund (NRF) for the purpose of bolstering the conduct of cutting-edge research.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, who made the revelation while declaring open a four-day meeting of TETFund Research and Development Standing Committee (RDSC), said the breakthrough came two years after the Board of Trustees granted the approval for private institutions to draw from the funds.

Bogoro said since the inauguration of the TETFund RDSC on September 24, 2020, the committee has gone far in implementing President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to support government initiatives of responding to the threat of Covid-19 through ground-breaking research on phyto-medical drugs, prophylactics and vaccines.

The TETFund boss added that some of the results of the fund’s intervention would be announced soon.

He further said there was evidence that results of the fund’s research drive were already coming in as lately, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and Innoson Motors, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the utilisation of locally produced goods, signalling a step forward.

According to him, “TETFund has also commenced funding of Defence and Security R&D towards responding to the unfortunate insecurity challenges and insurgency in the country, towards making Nigeria self-sufficient in locally produced technology for our armed forces and other security agencies.

“Our vision is working, the governors are buying it, industries are buying it; we are involving the youth, we are hoping that soon, a national R&D summit would be held.”

Bogoro also used the occasion to announce the demise of four members of the committee namely: Prof. Emmanuel Ezugwu, Prof. Femi Odekunle, Prof. Habu Galadima and Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe.

He disclosed that Mr Laoye Jaiyeola of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) was brought in to replace Prof. Odekunle, who passed on as one of the four vice-chairmen of the committee.

The 165-member standing committee was inaugurated in 2020 by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, with the mandate of developing research that would enhance national development as well as establishing a national research foundation.

Speaking on the report of the TETFund RDSC, the Chairman of the committee, Prof Gadzama Njida, described the report as its most important activity, adding that despite setbacks brought by the demise of their four colleagues, TETFund was able to sustain the progress of the committee’s work.

Njida, who praised the efforts of the RDSC members, stressed the importance of an action plan after the report has been reviewed, for the purpose of establishing the National R&D Foundation.

One of the Vice-Chairmen of the committee, Mansur Ahmed, harped on the need for Nigeria to embrace problem-solving research, noting that countries such as China, UK, US and Russia currently distributing vaccines have moved into a stage of development where research and technology drive their national development.

Mansour said until Nigeria moves into that stage where science, innovation and technology drive its national development, the future of the country is still bleak.

According to him, the report of the committee has been reviewed, even as he expressed faith that Nigeria will develop capacity and knowledge to propel the nation into competition for the delivery of vaccines in the future.