The Schlumberger Foundation, in partnership with Seeding Labs, have successfully implemented a significant donation of scientific instruments to the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti in Nigeria.
This contribution, formalised at a handover ceremony, not only equips another institution with research and educational tools but also officially marks ten years of a powerful collaboration between both parties dedicated to strengthening STEM education and research infrastructure in developing countries. For a decade, this partnership has strengthened STEM education and research infrastructure across Africa—facilitating the donation of over 2,500 pieces of equipment to 11 universities and positively impacting more than 30,000 students.
Each of these institutions has also benefited from the return of faculty for the Future Fellows—women from developing and emerging economies who, after earning advanced STEM degrees overseas, come back to teach and lead research. However, a major barrier remains: the lack of core scientific equipment.
Without it, students miss out on hands-on learning, and lecturers are limited in their ability to conduct research, publish findings, and secure future grant opportunities. President of the Schlumberger Foundation, Capella Festa, said: “Without access to working labs, students are observers rather than participants in their education. Through our partnership with Seeding Labs, we are helping to create environments where education is active, research is possible, and opportunities can grow. This latest donation in Ondo State, following a decade of shared commitment, underscores the enduring success and continued expansion of this vital initiative.”
Seeding Labs is a nonprofit organisation supporting locally led development through science. Working collaboratively with select institutions in developing countries, Seeding Labs provides an often overlooked but critical element to these labs: infrastructure. In collaboration with partners, including the Schlumberger Foundation, Seeding Labs has shipped essential equipment to 42 developing countries since 2008. This equipment enables students to gain hands-on training previously limited to theory. It empowers researchers with the tools needed to publish and secure international grants with improved lab capacity, fostering new collaborations with regional and global institutions.
The Chief Executive Officer, Seeding Labs, Melissa Wu, PhD, said: “We are excited to celebrate a decade of impact in partnership with the Schlumberger Foundation. When Faculty for the Future Fellows return home, one of the significant barriers they find is a lack of infrastructure to use their skills and knowledge. By supporting their universities with equipment, we make it easier for women to return and stay in science. It has been inspiring to see so many women taking our partnership as a launching point for shaping the future of the communities they call home.”
