TETFund Joins Science Granting Councils Initiative

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCl) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGC) has announced Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as its new member.

Starting in 2015, the SGC is funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Canada’s International Development Research Centre, South Africa’s National Research Foundation, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the German Research Foundation.

The TETFund’s executive secretary, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, who disclosed this in Abuja, said joining the group was in the right direction.
He stated, “We are confident that our admission into SGCl will open a new window of opportunities that will provide platforms that can serve as a fulcrum in achieving our goals of Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge economy in the 21st century. We are assured of quality partnerships and collaborations on the continent of Africa and beyond.”

Speaking on FCDO’s involvement and the benefit to Nigeria, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing said: “Nigeria’s TETFund’s admission to the Science Granting Councils Initiative is a positive development that will better position Nigeria to maximise the commissioning and use of research for development, in line with critical national social and economic priorities.”

She noted that the UK “recognises the importance of science to address global challenges, we are pleased to have supported the TETFund” to join the SGCI. Laing added that the British government would continue to work with Nigeria to better realise the benefits of science and research.