The Federal Government is seeking a $150 million World Bank facility to fund the next phase of the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Innovate Project, which aims to advance research and innovation in Nigerian universities.
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the launch of the ACE Alliance and the unveiling of a four-volume compendium highlighting the project’s achievements.
Ribadu said the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, had written to the Ministry of Finance to formally engage the World Bank on the funding request, adding that it would consolidate the gains made under the ACE initiative.
He noted that the project has transformed higher education in Nigeria, producing over 6,600 graduates, including 1,596 PhDs, and driving innovation across health, agriculture, ICT, and engineering sectors.
The NUC chief inaugurated an interim steering committee, led by Prof. Emenike Ejiogu of UNN, to coordinate collaboration among ACEs. He emphasised that the new phase would deepen partnerships and sustain excellence in research and postgraduate training.
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