National Research Fund: AGE Secures N2.5bn for Nigerian Researchers Through Capacity Building

The Academic and Grant Writing Enclave (AGE) on Thursday revealed that its nationwide capacity-building programme has enabled Nigerian researchers to access an estimated ₦2.5 billion from the Federal Government’s ₦5 billion National Research Fund (NRF) allocation for the 2024/2025 cycle.

This intervention followed the approval of the NRF allocation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during preparations for the 2024 TETFund National Research Fair and Exhibition held in Abuja.

Speaking during a news briefing, the Legal Adviser to AGE, Barrister Hamman Ezekiel Pwana, said the organisation’s structured training and mentorship had significantly improved the quality of research proposals submitted by Nigerian academics.

According to him, the success recorded so far demonstrates the importance of capacity development in grant writing and research management, noting that many researchers previously struggled to meet the technical and administrative requirements of competitive funding processes.

“Additional funding support is also expected from public, private and international development partners to deepen the impact of the research outcomes,” Pwana said.

AGE explained that its training programme was deliberately designed to bridge longstanding gaps in proposal development, budgeting, compliance and research translation, ensuring that Nigerian scholars can compete favourably for local and international research grants.

The organisation added that the programme covered practical sessions on proposal conceptualisation, alignment with national development priorities, and effective presentation of research outputs for policy and industry adoption.

AGE further noted that the successful mobilisation of ₦2.5 billion from the NRF reflects growing confidence in locally driven research initiatives and the increasing relevance of Nigerian scholarship to national development.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the programme across all geopolitical zones, with plans to collaborate more closely with universities, research institutes and professional bodies.

It expressed optimism that sustained investment in research capacity will accelerate innovation, strengthen evidence-based policymaking and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic and social transformation.

The National Research Fund, administered through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is designed to promote research-driven solutions in critical national sectors such as power, healthcare, agriculture, water supply and communications.