Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, says private Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the country are already accessing its N7.5 billion National Research Fund, NRF, for the conduct of cutting-edge research.
The Executive Secretary of the Fund, Prof Suleiman Bogoro revealed this while declaring open a 4-Day Meeting of TETFund Research and Development Standing Committee, RDSC.
He eplained that the breakthrough comes two years after the Board of Trustees granted approval for private institutions to draw from the funds.
Prof Suleiman Bogoro said since inauguration of the TETFund RDSC last year, the committee had gone far in implementing President 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 Executive Secretary pointed out that some of the results of the fund’s intervention would soon be announced .
Speaking, the RDSC Chairman 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.
Prof Njida, who praised efforts of the committee members, stressed the importance of an action plan after the report had been reviewed, for the purpose of establishing Research and Development R&D Foundation.
One of the Vice Chairmen of the Committee, Engr. Mansur Ahmed, emphasized the need for Nigeria to embrace problem-solving research, noting that countries like China, UK, US and Russia, currently distributing vaccines have moved into a stage of development where research and technology drive their national development.
RN