The Federal Government is seeking $150 million in funding support from the World Bank to implement the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Innovate Project, aimed at strengthening research, innovation, and postgraduate training 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 of Key Achievements and Impacts of the ACE project in Nigeria.
According to Ribadu, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, has already written to the Federal Ministry of Finance to formally engage the World Bank on the funding request. He explained that the proposed support signals Nigeria’s commitment to sustaining excellence in research, innovation, and higher education under the ACE initiative.
Ribadu described the ACE project as one of the most transformative education initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa, noting that over the past decade, 17 Nigerian universities hosting 20 Centres of Excellence have produced impactful research and postgraduate programmes addressing key national and regional challenges in health, agriculture, ICT, education, and engineering.
He added that the new ACE Innovate Project will build on these achievements while strengthening partnerships with other development institutions such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) to ensure long-term sustainability.
“We aim to sustain excellence, expand opportunities, and ensure that the structures and systems established under ACE continue to thrive beyond the project’s lifecycle,” Ribadu said.
He also inaugurated an interim steering committee for the newly formed ACE Alliance, chaired by Prof. Emenike Ejiogu of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to drive collaboration, research exchange, and policy engagement among Nigeria’s Centres of Excellence.
In his remarks, Minister of Education Maruf Alausa praised the ACE Project, co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD), for enhancing Nigeria’s leadership in higher education in Africa. He said the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises education as the cornerstone of national development.
Alausa added that the ministry is also engaging other development partners to mobilise additional funding for the Blueprint for the Rapid Revitalisation of University Education in Nigeria.
The minister further noted that the ACE Compendium, unveiled during the event, documents over 2,000 peer-reviewed publications, a directory of scholars and equipment, and a comprehensive record of innovations achieved through the World Bank-supported programme.
