Dr. Salihu Girei Bakare, Director of Research and Development, TETFund
By Felix Khanoba
In a significant boost for scientific innovation in Nigeria, the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) has awarded a $250,000 grant to four pioneering research teams.
This funding follows the successful implementation of the Research for Impact Initiative (R41) by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which shortlisted the teams to advance their ideas through a collaborative research grant with Innov8 Technology Hub as the technical partner.
The SGCI, a multi-funder initiative, aims to enhance the capacities of 17 Science Granting Councils in sub-Saharan Africa. TETFund, a member of this initiative since 2020, is committed to strengthening science financing councils in supporting research and evidence-based policies to drive socioeconomic development.
At the project’s inauguration and initial bootcamp in Abuja on Monday, Dr. Salihu Girei Bakare, Director of Research and Development at TETFund, highlighted the transformative potential of this collaboration.
“Though Nigeria joined the SGCI five years after its inception, the impact of this partnership is set to be significant,” Dr. Bakare remarked.
The $250,000 grant will support four Nigerian research teams working on projects with the potential to drive significant change.
These initiatives include advancements in garri processing, a staple food, and pioneering efforts in renewable energy, among others.
Dr. Bakare emphasized that the funding aims to bridge the gap between research and practical application, fostering innovations that can be commercialized. “The essence is to help them transform their research findings into commercializable goods and services in this country,” he explained.
A critical component of the grant is its focus on helping research teams develop their innovations into market-ready prototypes. This involves not only technical development but also pitching these products to industries to ensure tangible economic benefits.
“Four teams are going to use this money to develop their research into prototypes and pitch them to industries so that there will be a take-off of the products coming out from the research,” Dr. Bakare noted.
The SGCI’s support marks a significant step in advancing Nigeria’s scientific research and innovation landscape, fostering economic growth through practical, market-ready solutions.
