By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Federal Government has approved N4.2 billion grant for the funding of 158 research projects under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF) 2024 Grant Cycle.

This was disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday by the Director, Public Affairs, TETFund, Abdulmumin Oniyangi.

Oniyangi said that the approval followed the report of the TETFund National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC), which recommended the funding after a rigorous screening exercise.

He said that the exercise commenced with the receipt of 6,944 concept notes from various researchers.

?A breakdown of the approval indicates that the sum of N2.34 billion was approved for the Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) thematic group.

?N1.02 billion for Humanities and Social Science (HSS), while Cross Cutting (CC) received N870.70 million.

?Benefiting institutions with the highest number of awards include the Federal University of Technology, Minna with a total of 15 awards amounting to N400.03 million,? he said.

He said that Ahmadu Bello University has 13 awards totaling N359.80 million and Federal University of Technology, Akure has 12 awards at N341.60 million.

Others are Federal University of Technology, Owerri with 11 awards at N256.35 million, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi with 10 awards at N273.40 million and University of Ilorin with eight awards totaling N220.53 million.

Oniyangi added that the approved research works include Development of Sustainable Eco-Friendly Walling System for Low-Cost Housing in the Rural Communities of Nigeria.

Others, he said, are Development of hybrid cubic fertilizer using plant-based binders for efficient nutrient release and utilization, Development of an Intelligent Aerial Robotics System for Efficient Weed and Disease Management in Maize-Cowpea Farmland in Nigeria.

The research works also include the Development of an Artificial Intelligence-Enable Internet of Medical Things for Military Physiological Monitoring and Activity Recognition System at War Zone and Development of a Novel Intelligent Electrical Energy Management Metering among others.

Similarly, the federal government had approved the award of contracts for the establishment of 18 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hubs in TETFund beneficiary institutions across the six geo-political zones of the country in the 2024 intervention.

Oniyangi said that the hubs would provide Core Labs/Workstation to cover Electronic Lab, 3D Printing Lab, Laser Technology Lab, Product Design Lab, Robotics and Coding, Artificial Intelligence, among others.

The project, he said, was intended to facilitate and accelerate the uptake of promising research output, providing solution-driven and multidisciplinary hubs tailored towards the needs of beneficiary institutions.

The NRF grant was introduced by TETFund to encourage cutting-edge research which explore research areas relevant to societal needs of Nigeria such as power and energy, health, security, agriculture, employment and wealth creation etc..

Additionally, in support of the creation of innovation hubs and entrepreneurship centres, the federal government had also approved the allocation of funds under the 2025 Intervention to 15 TETFund beneficiary institutions.

The institutions are Federal University Dutse, University of Uyo and University of Ibadan with an allocation of N1 billion each.

Others are Federal Polytechnic Bida; Taraba State Polytechnic, Jalingo; Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola; Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zuru; Kano State Polytechnic, Kano; Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, and Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi.

Equally in the list are Bayelsa State Polytechnic, Aliebiri; Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, College of Education (Technical) Kabba and Enugu State College of Education (Technical) Enugu with allocations of N750 million each. (NAN)

Update news