By Our Reporter
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), has said that it is fully ready to effectively manage and implement all forms of grants to conduct research in any area of cancer.
The Director General of NICRAT, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, disclosed this at the end of a 3-day training organized for staff of the Institute in Abuja, recently.
The training which was with the theme: ‘Compliance Review and Grant Management of Recipient and sub-recipient: Tools and Capabilities Strengthening’, was aimed at equipping the participants with the needed knowledge and skills to be able to manage grants effectively.
Represented by the Acting Director of Administration, Malam Sanusi Musa, the NICRAT Director General disclosed that the Institute, being a research based, will be heavily involved in managing grants of all types, hence, the decision to organize the training.
He explained that since the mandate of NICRAT revolves around centralizing cancer control efforts and mobilizing funding from different sources for cancer research, it means that “we are going to be managing grants regularly in order to achieve this mandate.”
He noted that since the grants will be coming from both the government and local and international funders, there was the need to adequately prepare the affected staff for the tasks ahead.
Prof. Malami, therefore, reiterated the determination of his management team to change the cancer landscape in Nigeria through research and innovation within the shortest possible time.

While commending the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration for supporting NICRAT to deliver its mandates, Prof. Malami assured that Nigeria will soon be a major global player and reference point in terms of cancer research and treatment.
He, therefore, charged beneficiaries of the training to put to proper use the knowledge and skills acquired for the growth of NICRAT and the benefit of cancer patients in the country.
Speaking earlier, the Lead Resource person who is the Director, Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training (CAMRET) and Grants Manager, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Prof. Mustapha Umar Imam, explained that the training is targeted at enhancing understanding of compliance requirements for grant management in research funding and equipping scientific officers with practical tools and strategies for effective grant management.
Other targets of the training, according to him, include strengthening capabilities in monitoring and supporting sub-recipients to ensure compliance and to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among scientific officers for improved grant administration.
On the expected outcomes, Prof. Imran said: “At the end of the training, participants are expected to understand compliance requirement in grant management; strengthen financial and monitoring and evaluation capabilities for effective grant oversight; develop practical skills in managing recipients and sub-recipients and be equipped to handle audits and compliance reviews effectively.”