The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has approved 174 research grants worth N7.5 billion under its 2025 National Research Fund cycle as part of efforts to boost innovation and strengthen research capacity in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, announced the approval in Abuja on Thursday, noting that government investment in research and development is aimed at driving economic growth, job creation, and national transformation.
Echono stressed that research and innovation remain essential for unlocking Nigeria’s human and natural resources and improving productivity across key sectors.
He explained that the selection process involved multiple stages, beginning with concept note submissions, followed by full proposal reviews, and oral defenses conducted in Abuja before final approval.
According to him, 174 proposals were eventually selected after a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee.
The approved grants span several priority areas, including agriculture, health, energy, education, defence technology, blue economy, and sustainable development. Grant values range between N13.6 million and N49.97 million per project.
Echono disclosed that the Federal University of Technology, Minna, led with 18 successful grants, followed by the Federal University of Technology, Owerri with 11, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with 10. Other institutions, including the University of Ilorin, Bayero University Kano, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, also featured prominently.
He added that newly established federal universities, state universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education also secured funding under the competitive process.
Some of the newer beneficiaries include the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia; the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Koroma/Sakpenwa; and the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti.
Echono further noted that over 55 patents have been generated from TETFund-supported research in the past three years, highlighting innovations such as food preservation systems, improved agricultural tools, water purification technologies, and locally developed energy solutions.
He also announced plans for a National Research Fair scheduled for November to showcase innovations and connect researchers with investors and industry stakeholders for commercialisation.
He encouraged Nigerian researchers to take advantage of the transparent and competitive grant process, describing it as a platform for building capacity and improving global research competitiveness.
