Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
In an effort to advance the cause of African Centres of Excellence (ACE) in the fields of research, innovation, and development in universities, the federal government has submitted an expression of interest for development funding amounting to $150 million (N217 billion) for the implementation of ACE Innovate Project.
The ACE project represents one of the most transformative initiatives in the history of higher education in sub-Saharan Africa. It was conceived by the World Bank, in partnership with participating governments, and Association of African Universities (AAU), and co-funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in the ACE Impact phase.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at the official launch of the ACE Alliance and compendium of key achievements of ACEs in Nigeria, Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, said the government will continue to engage other development partners to explore new collaborative frameworks that could build on the lessons of the ACE Project and NUC’s goal of ensuring a university system at par with its contemporaries globally.
Ribadu stated that some of the partners, with whom the government was currently in talks included African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.
He said that was important because the government aimed at sustaining excellence, expanding opportunities, and ensuring that the structures and systems established under ACE continued to thrive beyond the project’s lifecycle.
He added that over the past decade, the ACE project had empowered 17 Nigerian universities and was hosting 20 Centres of Excellence to deliver high-quality postgraduate training, cutting-edge research, and solution-oriented partnerships in areas that mattered most, not only to national but also regional development, such as health, agriculture, education, engineering, ICT, and the environment.
According to him, “In this regard, the Minister of Education has formally written to the Federal Ministry of Finance, requesting that it engage the World Bank to submit an Expression of Interest for development funding amounting to USD 150 million for the implementation of the ACE Innovate Project.
“From the first phase (ACE I) to the recently-concluded ACE Impact cycle, our universities have not only built and equipped modern laboratories and conducted world-class research, but have also produced thousands of masters’ and doctoral graduates, many of whom are now advancing research, policy, and enterprise across Africa.
“Our centres have proven that with the right support, Nigerian universities can be globally competitive and are capable of producing innovations that respond to local challenges while contributing to global knowledge.”
In the compendium, Volume 1 presents a synthesis of achievements and impact, while Volume 2 documents over 2,000 peer-reviewed publications by Nigerian ACE researchers.
Volume 3 serves as a directory of scholars, highlighting expertise across disciplines, while Volume 4 catalogues the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities that now enrich research infrastructure in the centres.
Launching the documents, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, emphasised the importance of looking beyond local campuses and labs for collaboration, both nationally and internationally, when designing and researching.
Alausa said the four volumes presented were not just a record, but a resource and tool for partnership showcasing what was possible when vision, leadership, and commitment came together.
While commending the commission for its exemplary coordination of the ACE project, which had kept Nigeria a leading performer in the regional initiative, the minister also acknowledged the visionary leadership of past executive secretaries of the commission.
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