TETFund Fair: ‘Nigeria tertiary institutions’ researches gaining global recognition’

The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) , Arch Sonny Echono has said research outputs of Nigeria tertiary institutions are increasingly being recognised and respected all over the world. The researches cut across Natural Sciences, Technology & Innovation, the Social Sciences and Arts. Echono said the researches have led to an extraordinary increase […]

The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) , Arch Sonny Echono has said research outputs of Nigeria tertiary institutions are increasingly being recognised and respected all over the world.

The researches cut across Natural Sciences, Technology & Innovation, the Social Sciences and Arts.

Echono said the researches have led to an extraordinary increase in the numbers of Professors, PhD graduates and the general quality of teaching and further research.

He said this at the maiden edition of TETFund National Research Fair/Exhibition in Abuja on Monday. “In view of the policies of Government aimed at revamping the economy, creating jobs, generating wealth and redistributing wealth among Nigerians, TETFund further recognised the imperative need to enhance the linkages of these impressive academia performances to industry and the day-to-day life on the average Nigerian,” he said.

The TETfund boss said following the Fund scaling up its support for critical research and development initiatives, it has noted immense improvement in the performance of Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in Nigeria, especially in the area of Research and Development.

He said the initiatives which include the Research for Impact (R4i) Programme, the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) and the Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (i-FAIR) programme aimed at facilitating the uptake of various research output for the benefit of society.

He said: “The ultimate objective is to translate research from Nigerian Tertiary Institutions to innovations, inventions and solutions for practical application and commercialization. Some of the prototypes developed from these various R&D initiatives are being exhibited in this Fair.”

According to him, TETFund organised the strategic National Research Fair, mainly to collect, collate and showcase many of the concluded practical research results and technologies, that can be manufactured and/or are scalable.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa in his speech said the Research Fair was specially aligned to Mr. President’s

agenda on domesticating the local Research Results for the composite objective of creating jobs, generation of wealth and the ultimate strengthening of the economy.

He said Research and Innovation System are the indispensable vehicles for transforming the society.

Alausa said the National Research Fair is a clarion call to all Tertiary Institutions and Research Institutes in Nigeria to conduct their Teaching, Research and Innovations, to be applied, practical and effective in addressing the development challenges in our country.

He said: “The Fair will be sustained as an annual National effort, and we will sensitise Nigerians, most especially the youth, to take advantages of the outcomes to participate in our economic development.

Also, the Chairman Board of Trustees of TETFund, Aminu Masari lauded the Fair as the first of its kind in Nigeria in many ways.

“It is not just an ordinary expo where people will come for sight seeing, it is the one in which uptakers have been invited to critically look at products on display for possible adoption and mainstreaming into the Nigerian market,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that financial institutions were invited to participate and possibly fund the commercialisation of viable products from the fair. “The Fair is also saddled with the responsibility of protecting the intellectual property and trade secrets of inventors and rights of all the participants.,” Masari said.