The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has awarded a total of N7.5 billion in research grants to 174 research teams across Nigerian tertiary institutions, in a major push to strengthen innovation, scientific discovery and national development.
Announcing the outcome of the 2025 National Research Fund (NRF) Grant Cycle in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono said the grants were awarded following a rigorous and highly competitive selection process involving proposal submissions, evaluations and oral defence sessions.
According to him, the successful projects cut across critical national development areas including health, agriculture, food security, energy, education, technology, defence, gender inclusion and environmental sustainability.
He said: “A total of 174 grants were awarded to various research teams across the thematic areas of national priorities at a total sum of N7.5 billion.”
Echono explained that individual grants ranged from N13.7 million to N49.98 million, depending on the nature and scope of the research projects, as he explained that the selection process was designed to ensure only the most impactful and innovative research proposals received funding.
“The competitive selection process for the grant involves the submission and evaluation of concept notes, followed by submission and evaluation of full proposals. This is followed by physical oral defence in Abuja and eventual selection of the successful research proposals.*
The Fund identified Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna as the highest-performing institution in the 2025 grant cycle, securing funding for 18 research projects.
Other institutions that recorded strong performances include Federal University of Technology, Owerri (11 projects); Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (10); University of Ilorin (8); Bayero University, Kano (7); Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (7); University of Jos (6); University of Ibadan (5); University of Lagos (5); and Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (5).
The Fund also highlighted the emergence of newly established universities among grant beneficiaries, describing the development as evidence of growing research capacity across the country’s tertiary education system.
Among the new institutions that secured grants were the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia; Federal University of Environment and Technology, Koroma Saakpenwa, Ogoni; and Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti.
Several state-owned institutions also made the beneficiaries’ list, including Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Ekiti State University, Kwara State University, Adamawa State University, Rivers State University and Sokoto State University.
The Executive Secretary further disclosed that a number of polytechnics and colleges of education equally secured grants, underscoring TETFund’s commitment to promoting research excellence beyond the university system.
Beneficiary polytechnics include Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro; Federal Polytechnic, Bida; Federal Polytechnic, Nekede; Federal Polytechnic, Moguno; Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji; Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi; Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri; Yaba College of Technology; Kaduna Polytechnic; and Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto.
Among the colleges of education that won grants were College of Education, Katsina; Osun State College of Education, Ilesa; and Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-Ma.
The TETFund boss congratulated the successful institutions and researchers, describing their emergence as a reflection of excellence and dedication to addressing Nigeria’s development challenges through evidence-based research.
“The Fund wishes to congratulate the institutions and the research teams that emerged successfully after such a rigorous and competitive selection process. This award marks the end of the selection process for the 2025 NRF grant cycle.”
He disclosed that preparations for the 2026 National Research Fund Grant Cycle would commence shortly and urged researchers across Nigerian tertiary institutions to take advantage of the opportunity.
“The Fund will soon commence the process for the award of the 2026 NRF Grant Cycle. I wish to call on our scholars and researchers from our various tertiary institutions who want to participate in the National Research Fund grants to take advantage of this opportunity and submit their concept notes for the 2026 grant cycle.”