Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) says it has spent N9billion on research in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The government agency said the expenditure covered various disciplines and was distributed under the National Research Fund (NRF).
Executive Secretary, Prof. Suleiman Elias-Bogoro, spoke on Monday, at the 35th Conference of Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) at Kano State University of Science and Technology (KUST).
NAN reports that Elias-Bogoro, represented by Hajiya Hadiza Abdullahi, explained that the fund awarded a total of 240 grants.
The TETFund chief described the NRF as an intervention aimed at promoting the conduct of applied research and innovation by academics.
He said the results will assist in driving the country’s socio-economic development in a highly competitive knowledge-driven world.
Acting Chairman, AVCNU, Prof. Timothy Olagbemiro, noted that universities worldwide were required to explore creative solutions to societal challenges.
Olagbemiro said Nigeria’s higher educational system was the largest in Africa with 197 universities.
He lamented attacks on undergraduates and disclosed that a meeting of stakeholders will soon take place on security and increased funding for schools.