The Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, FUBK, has been awarded N30 million research grants by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, under the 2021 TETFund National Research Fund, NRF, intervention.
The spokesman for the university, Jamilu Magaji, made this known in a statement issued in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.
He said the award was contained in two letters addressed to the FUBK vice chancellor, Prof. Zaiyan Umar, by the executive secretary, Sonny Echono, dated December 19, 2022.
“The TETFund NRF grant was awarded for a research titled “Impact of Schistosomiasis Chemotherapy on Enrolled and Out of School Children in Riverine Communities of Rima River North-Western Nigeria,” with Prof. Abbas Yusuf Bazata of the Department of Microbiology as the Principal Researcher.
“The research duration, according to the award letter, is 18 months,” he said.
Mr Magaji added that the second NRF award was granted for a research titled, “Application of Integrated Model Framework for the Improvement of Groundwater Quality Management in Sokoto Basin, Nigeria: Implication for Human Health,” with Prof. Kabiru Jega-Umar of the Department of Chemistry as the Principal Researcher.
“The execution period of this research, based on the award letter, is 21 months.
“The Principal Researchers have written acceptance letters to the fund, pledging their unwavering commitment to effectively lead their respective research teams to the successful completion of the researches,” Magaji said.
Similarly, the PRO revealed that other four staff of the university had been selected for a one-year Tertiary Education Trust Fund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) programme to develop an Agricultural Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) drone, in a highly competitive selection process.
He said that the revelation was made in an invitation letter in November 2022, addressed to the VC and signed by the Director, Research and Development/ Centres of Excellence Department, Dr. Salihu Bakari on behalf of the Executive Secretary.
“The beneficiaries are Prof. Isah Garba (Department of Mathematics), Prof. Abdulaziz Shehu (Department of Economics), Dr. Abubakar Musa- Shinkafi (ICT Centre) and Abubakar Muhammad Hashim (Department of Computer Science).
“The team would be invited 3-5 times to Innov8 hub, Abuja where they would have access to high-end technology, machinery and expertise for the development of a physical and functioning prototype of their ideas.
“The year-long programme also includes online content and courses to support the product development journey, in addition to training and mentorship on the business/entrepreneurship aspect of the project.
“The team members have already attended the first boot camp which took place from Dec. 4 to 14, 2022, in Abuja,” Mr Magaji said.
Commenting on the developments, Mr Umar, congratulated the beneficiaries on their successes.
He enjoined other academic staff to ginger up and come up with more initiatives and fundable research proposals that would impact on the lives of immediate community and the country in general.
The VC assured that the university would continue to support researches, workshops, seminars and other academic activities aimed at stimulating the academic community to optimally contribute to the development of the society.
The TETFAIR is a year-long programme, sponsored by TETFund.
TETFAIR provides unique opportunity for researchers and academics in Nigerian universities to transform their ideas into market-driven solutions, including the development and fabrication of prototypes.
Selected teams of researchers and academics with ideas for innovative solutions in areas of focus, are taken through a journey that combines technology and product development along with venture creation.
