NCC Awards N172.5m Research Grant To 13 Universities
- As Disbursement For Focused Research Innovations Hits N660m
As part of its mandate to strengthen the telecommunications industry in its contribution to national development, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has awarded 13 universities the sum of N172, 532,040 to boost Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) development.
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the award ceremony, adding that the commission has so far provided over N660 million to Nigeria’s tertiary institutions for information and communications technology (ICT) focused research innovations.
The Universities that benefited from the grant include the University of Port Harcourt, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Federal University of Technology Imo State, and Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, among others.
Danbatta announced the endowment of N60 million to three Professorial Chairs in tertiary institutions across the country as a mechanism for entrenching innovations in tertiary institutions.
He highlighted that the endowment of professorial chairs in universities is one of the commission’s initiatives in supporting the academia in focused research in ICT, towards the advancement of technologies.
According to him, the objective is to ensure regulatory and technological solutions capable of improving the communications industry.
“It is, therefore, our expectation that institutions would dedicate the required human and material resources to the success of the programmes,” he added.
The Head, Research and Development Department NCC, Mrs Kelechi Nwankwo, hinted that the initiative is part of the commission’s effort to strengthen the telecommunications industry in contributing to national development.
Lawal Bilbis, the vice-chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Kano, speaking on behalf of the tertiary institutions awardees commended the commission for the initiatives.
Bilbis stated that Nigeria should prioritize building indigenous technological solutions rather than relying on transferred technology.
