The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Federal Ministry of
Science and Technology have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost
research and development in the country; so as to promote national
development.
Speaking at the ceremony on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of Tertiary
Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Prof. Elias Sulaiman Bogoro said, that the
Federal Government released N5 billion last year to his agency to fund
research and expressed hope that the grant will be increased to further
enable it intensify on funding research.
He also said that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
is the nerve center for developed nations and for Nigeria to achieve
development, STEM subjects must be embraced by students and researchers.
In his response, the Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu
said the signing of the memorandum of understanding was part of efforts to
deepen a knowledge and innovation- driven economy, adding that research
agencies will greatly benefit from the development.
Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu was also hopeful that the newly signed MOU will cement
synergy between research agencies and academic institutions to the overall
benefit of Nigeria.
He explained that research institutes will now avail their research
equipments and findings to the universities so as to enhance academic
excellence and outputs.
The Minister said increased funding for researchers in the agencies will
discourage Nigerians from patronizing imported herbs as Nigerians have more
than enough herbal resources that are lying fallow.
