Seven researchers from the University of Abuja have won grants totalling N1bilion following their ground-breaking research activities and publications in first-class journals across the world.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdulrasheed Na’allah announced this in Abuja, during the University’s Authors and Researchers’ Recognition and Award Ceremony, organised by its Centre For Sponsored Projects (CSP).
Five out of the seven winners are under the category of Gold, which means each researcher got a minimum of N10million, while one is for silver and another, bronze.
Presenting medals to the Academics, Professor Na’Allah, who expressed delight over the “uncommon feat”, said the 2022 grants were a significant improvement compared to the N300 million recorded in 2021.
“In 2022, University of Abuja made N1 billion grants; last year it was N300 million and it has increased this year,” he stated.
’”I’m very proud of you and I’m ready for the world to know this and I also want to give them another promise: that next year, it is going to be more than this,” the visibly elated Vice-Chancellor stressed.
He urged the awardees to share ideas and experiences with other academic staff to ensure that university of Abuja produce more grant-winning researchers of international repute.
“If you need my help as a Vice-Chancellor, I will be ready to support,” he pledged.
“Let it be done at Faculty levels, let there be competition, that is the way it is.”
Earlier, in a welcome address, the Director, UniAbuja Centre of Sponsored Projects (CSP), Professor Obiageli Nnodu, said this year’s award ceremony was the third in series since its inception by the current Vice-Chancellor in 2020.
Professor Nnodu, who said the Centre is aimed at promoting and deepening research in the University, called on lecturers to leverage on it for information on accessing grants and scholarship opportunities.
As she commended the VC for his “passion in inculcating the culture of research in UniAbuja”, Professor Nnodu explained that awardees of this year’s ceremony were graded in three categories, with gold for those who won grants from N10 million and above, silver – from N5 million, and bronze medal for scholars that won grants to the tune of N2 million.
She also revealed that most of the scholars that won research grants also clinched awards under author’s category as most of their research works were published in international peer review journals.
The five researchers who won awards under the gold category are: Professor Obiageli Nnodu, Dr Dike Ojji, Dr Fatima Kyari, Professor Ishaya Musa Dagwa and Professor Oseremen Aisuodionoe-Shadrach.
