TETFund approves N7.5bn research grants for 174 projects

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund has approved 174 research grants valued at N7.5bn under the 2025 National Research Fund grant cycle as part of efforts to strengthen research and innovation in the tertiary institutions. The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, announced the approval on Thursday, during a press conference in Abuja, saying the Federal Government was increasing support for research and development as a catalyst for economic transformation, job creation and national development. Echono said research remained critical to unlocking Nigeria’s vast human and natural resources and driving innovation across key sectors of the economy. “We believe strongly that if we can use the knowledge in our tertiary institutions and we can harness those intellectual talents and deploy them efficiently, we will be able to better utilise our natural resources,” he said. According to him, research-driven innovation would help create new products and services, improve productivity and contribute to national prosperity. The TETFund boss announced that the 2025 NRF selection process had been concluded following a rigorous multi-stage assessment conducted by the Fund’s National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee. Explaining the process, Echono said applicants first submitted concept notes, which were reviewed before selected candidates were invited to submit full proposals. Those proposals underwent another round of evaluation before shortlisted researchers were invited to Abuja to defend their projects. “The third stage, the shortlisted researchers were invited to Abuja, and they had to do oral presentations to defend their proposals. And at the end of that, we have the eventual selection of the successful research proposals,” he said. According to him, 174 grants were approved across key sectors of national development. He noted, “A total of 174 grants were recommended and approved. And these went to a few single individuals, but the majority of them are research teams that participated in the exercise. “The programmes and projects cut across various thematic areas, which we call various sectors and the total amount that we are recommending today is the sum of N7.5bn.” The approved grants cover several priority areas, including health and social welfare, agriculture and food security, sustainable use of natural resources, science and engineering, power and energy, blue economy, defence technology, clean energy, education and human capital development, gender equity and social inclusion, as well as conflict, defence and security studies. The