By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has launched the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Alliance alongside a four-volume Compendium highlighting the achievements and impact of the ACE Project in Nigeria.
Speaking at the double unveiling held Monday in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the event as a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s dedication to academic excellence, innovation, and sustainable development.
Alausa said the government remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening innovation, collaboration, and global competitiveness within the nation’s tertiary education system.
According to him, the ACE Alliance brings together all 20 Africa Centres of Excellence (ACEs) hosted in 17 Nigerian universities, including three that transitioned from the earlier phase of the project,into a unified network for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and global engagement.
“It is a timely initiative that consolidates the gains of the ACE Project, enhances visibility, and amplifies the voices of our Centres on the global stage,” the Minister said.
The Minister commended the ACE Project, jointly funded by the World Bank and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in partnership with the Federal Government, describing it as a major stride aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the project demonstrates how “strategic partnerships can drive sustainable growth” while reinforcing Nigeria’s leadership in higher education and research across the continent.
“The ACEs are helping to shape the skilled workforce and knowledge base our nation needs to compete in a dynamic global economy,” Alausa noted.
He further disclosed that the Ministry of Education had approved the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) proposal to collaborate with more development partners in implementing the Blueprint for the Rapid Revitalisation of University Education.
Commending the Centres’ achievements, Alausa highlighted their success in attracting international students and faculty, promoting regional partnerships, and positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for quality postgraduate education and innovation.
He added that “the ACE Project has positioned Nigeria not only as a consumer but also as a provider of high-quality transnational education.”
On his part , Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, revealed that Nigeria has commenced efforts to secure $150 million in new development funding from the World Bank for the proposed ACE Innovate Project.
He explained that the initiative represents the next phase of the World Bank-supported ACE Project and aims to sustain cutting-edge research and innovation across Nigerian universities.
Ribadu said the Minister of Education had already written to the Federal Ministry of Finance, seeking the World Bank’s engagement on the proposed funding.
According to him, the request signals Nigeria’s determination to build on the successes of the ACE Project and to institutionalise excellence in postgraduate education, research, and innovation.
The NUC boss described the ACE Project as “one of the most transformative initiatives in the history of higher education in sub-Saharan Africa,” noting that 17 Nigerian universities hosting 20 Centres of Excellence have, over the past decade, produced groundbreaking research and innovations that address regional development priorities in health, agriculture, ICT, education, and engineering.
He said the upcoming ACE Innovate Project will expand these achievements by collaborating with other development institutions such as the African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.
“We will continue to engage other development partners to explore new collaborative frameworks that can build on the lessons of the ACE Project and the NUC’s goal of ensuring a university system that is at par with its contemporaries globally.
“Some of these partners we are currently in talks with include the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa. This is important because we aim to sustain excellence, expand opportunities, and ensure that the structures and systems established under ACE continue to thrive beyond the project’s lifecycle.
“We also remain committed to institutionalising the ACEs within their host universities, ensuring they remain engines of innovation, policy influence, and capacity building for generations to come,” he said.
National Project Coordinator of the ACE Project, Dr. Joshua Atah, traced the programme’s history to August 2012 when the concept was first presented to then NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie.
He recalled that the project was officially launched in 2014 with the goal of strengthening postgraduate education and research focused on Africa’s pressing challenges in STEM, agriculture, and health.
According to him, under the first phase, ACE I, ten Nigerian universities were selected to host Centres of Excellence— the highest number among all participating nations.
Building on that success, Atah said the ACE Impact Project was introduced in 2019 with joint support from the World Bank and AFD, expanding to 53 Centres across 11 African countries, with Nigeria hosting 17 of them.
“These Centres have evolved into engines of innovation and excellence. They have collectively attracted over $145 million through performance-based disbursements and mobilised additional funds exceeding N3.9 billion, $46 million, €1.78 million, and £2.6 million from diverse sources,” he said.
He noted that these resources had been reinvested into research, infrastructure, and capacity building.
“The Centres have also produced over 6,600 graduates, including 1,596 PhDs, with faculty and students publishing over 4,200 scientific papers in reputable journals,” Atah said.
In her remarks, Scherezad Latif, World Bank Manager of Education for Western and Central Africa, applauded Nigeria’s leadership in higher education and regional growth.
Latif said the programme’s achievements show how Africa can “build for Africa,” transforming knowledge into real-world solutions that improve communities and drive economic transformation.
Looking ahead, she unveiled plans for ACE Innovate, a new initiative aimed at equipping African youth with advanced skills, entrepreneurial capacity, and job readiness in key economic sectors.
She urged universities to deepen ties with industry, align academic programmes with labour market needs, and strengthen innovation.
Latif reaffirmed the World Bank’s continued commitment to supporting education, skills development, and job creation across Africa, describing the ACE Alliance as “a model for sustainable, country-led growth.”
