FG supports R&D with N5bn in 2019

Prof. Elias Sulaiman Gungoro, Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) has disclosed that the Federal Government released N5 billion last year to his agency to fund research.

He however, expressed hope that the grant will be increased to further enable it intensify on funding research.

Gungoro spoke on Tuesday at the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) in Abuja. He also expressed hope that the MoU will help deepen participation of Nigerian researchers and achieve greater results.

In his remarks, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, who expressed satisfaction with the MoU said that increased funding for researchers in the agencies will discourage Nigerians from patronizing imported herbs as Nigerians have more than enough herbal resources that are lying fallow.

The Minister said the collaboration was part of efforts to deepen knowledge and innovation- driven economy, adding that research agencies will greatly benefit from the development, adding that the MoU will boost research and development and as well promote national development.

He expressed optimism that the newly signed MOU will cement synergy between research agencies and academic institutions to the overall benefit of Nigeria. With this development, he explained that research institutes will now avail their research equipments and findings to the universities so as to enhance academic excellence and outputs.

He also said that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is the nerve center for developed nations and for Nigeria to achieve development, STEM subjects must be embraced by students and researchers.