About N1.72 billion has so far been accessed by lecturers out of the N3billion National Research Fund, Executive Secretary Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr Abdullahi Baffa, has disclosed.
Baffa said lecturers have failed to fully access the NRF funds dedicated to research eight years after because of poor quality research proposals.
He spoke at the inauguration of NRF Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRF&MC) and the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Book Development in Abuja last weekend.
Baffa said the NRF was introduced to resuscitate research activities in public tertiary institutions to support scholars to meet up with the requirements in teaching, research and community service.
The TETFund boss said additional N1billion was allocated in 2016 to beef up intervention.
Dr Baffa said: “Since its establishment in 2009 with the seed fund of N3 billion, about N1.72 billion has so far been disbursed to finance researches in different thematic areas and an additional N1billion was allocated in 2016 to beef up the intervention.
“One of the key concerns of the TETFund in respect of the implementation of this intervention is the quality of research proposals that are being submitted by applicants.”
Baffa also said another N2 billion seed grant was dedicated for lecturers in various public tertiary institutions to access for the development of manuscript into books.
The TETFund boss added that research is important to achieve a development driven socio-economic process in the country.
“The vision of this intervention is to deliberately promote the evolution of a knowledge-based, globally competitive research and development driven socio-economic development process in Nigeria.
“This, we believe, can only be achieved through coordinated, properly focused and cutting edge researches in all critical areas and anchored by scholars in the higher education institutions.
“Conducting quality research in our public tertiary institutions will not only engender national growth but will also raise the standard and the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s education system,” he said.