The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) has awarded a $250,000 grant to four innovative research teams in Nigeria. This grant follows the successful implementation of the Research for Impact Initiative (R41) under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), with Innov8 Technology Hub as the technical partner.
The SGCI, a multi-funder initiative aimed at strengthening the capacities of 17 Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in sub-Saharan Africa, provided the funding. TETFund, a member of this initiative, supports research and evidence-based policies contributing to the socioeconomic development of countries.
At the project inauguration and initial boot camp in Abuja, Dr. Saliba Girei Bakare, TETFund’s director of research and development, highlighted the transformative potential of the collaboration. Despite Nigeria joining the SGCI in 2020, five years after its inception, the impact of the initiative is expected to be significant.
Dr. Bakare explained that the $250,000 grant would support the four Nigerian research teams, each working on projects with the potential to drive significant change. Among the initiatives are advancements in garri processing, a staple food, and pioneering efforts in renewable energy, among others.
“The essence is to help them transform their research findings into commercialized goods and services in this country,” said Dr. Bakare. He emphasized that 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, ensuring that the research translates into tangible economic benefits.
“Four teams are going to use this money to develop their research into prototypes and pitch them with industries so that there will be take-off of the product coming out from the research,” he noted.
The grant aims to bridge the gap between research and practical application, fostering innovations that can be commercialized, ultimately benefiting Nigeria’s economy and contributing to its sustainable development.
