Tunji Wusu –
Beneficiaries of the Research for Impact (R4i) project 8.0, which was established by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in partnership with Innov8 Hub, have praised the Fund for improving their lives and fostering innovation in the nation.
R4i is an innovative program launched by TETFund in partnership with Innov8 Hub that aims to provide Nigerian academicians from various public higher education institutions with the knowledge, tools, and techniques they need to develop original research ideas into practical solutions.
As of now, the partnership has brought research and development through innovation back to Nigeria, strengthening the Triple Helix Synergy by uniting the public sector, academic institutions, and private sector for a more promising and forward-thinking future.
Since then, the initiative has enabled academics from different tertiary institutions all over Nigeria to create innovative prototypes. It is an important component of TETFund’s strategic plan to support research and innovation in Nigerian universities and is bridging the gap between research ideas and solutions.
18 participants recently finished their training at the Innov8 Hub after being selected from Polytechnics across all of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
The participants were split into 4 teams, each of which was focused on solving significant societal problems. No Poverty, Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, and Affordable and Clean Energy were among these teams.
The R4i has given you the in-depth knowledge and abilities to comprehend challenges before putting up solutions, the participants testified. We are really appreciative of TETFund and innov8 hub for their assistance and direction, which have been quite helpful to us on our journey.
Government, academic, and business representatives were also present at the closing event. The Executive Secretaries of the TETFund, Arch. Sonny Echono, and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, were prominent members of the group.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the project, organized in conjunction with Innov8 Hub, is intended to promote innovation and viable research in higher education institutions. He was speaking at the training program’s recent conclusion ceremony in Abuja.
Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind in technical advancement, according to Echono, who asserted that this is the key to the country’s ability to overcome its problems.
“With technology taking center stage and reshaping lives, generating jobs, and affecting nations, the globe has seen significant change. The majority of great civilizations that have evolved were able to reach these heights through revolution, technological advancement, and education, all of which were rooted in an insatiable desire for knowledge.
“This need for more effective methods of doing things has led to breakthroughs that have given rise to new products, technology, and ways of life. These advances have also transformed the telecommunications sector.
“With the advent of the digital age, the world is left with little choice but to adapt to the new realities. As a result, nations and individuals are forced to either evolve or continue to be second-class nations that must rely on and serve other nations that have improved via education and significant research, according to Echono.
Echono thanked Innov8 Hub for its willingness to collaborate with TETFund to spread and advance an innovation ecosystem in the tertiary education sector of Nigeria, and he reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to continuing to invest in research as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
“At TETFund, we established a Research and Development/Centers of Excellence Department to promote the institutionalization of R&D in public tertiary institutions, strengthen research capability, and support R&I, among other things. One of the initiatives to assist market-driven research for regional development is the Research for Impact Workshop.
“At this time, it is crucial to take advantage of the chance to reaffirm TETFund’s dedication to fostering the commercialization of workable R&D outcomes and patents. This ought to give the Teams more motivation to move on with their prototype, he said.
The executive secretary also expressed the expectation that the 18 lecturers’ two weeks of rigorous research activities would foster knowledge exchange, teamwork, growth, and excellence among participants and their diverse colleagues.
For his part, Professor Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, urged the participants to collaborate and to share what they learned with other professors in their respective institutions.
The head of NBTE praised TETFund for the (R4i) program, calling it the most significant development in the history of research and innovation promotion in Nigerian polytechnics.
I’ve also been advised that several polytechnics across the nation will imitate what we have here at Innov8 Hub. This is the best course of action, Bugaje declared.
Dr. Obichi Obiajunwa, the workshop’s chief facilitator, added that the 18 lecturers had completed a rigorous two-week program where they had been given the tools to commercialize their research and create solutions to issues that were in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The main goal of this session was to equip our researchers with the tools they need to turn the fantastic fabrication projects they handle in school into useful contributions to society.
Through their commitment and diligence, they were able to turn four outstanding prototypes from curated problems inside the SDGs in just 10 days.
This success represents not just their creativity and passion, but also their unwavering dedication to making a positive difference in our society, according to Obiajunwa.
Additionally, the event features pitch films of the prototypes created by each team.
Digifact, a tool for collecting digital data intended for teachers, was introduced by Team No Poverty. With increased pay and reduced poverty among low-income instructors, the invention has the potential to empower educators.
Skinchek, a skin moisture detector developed by Team Good Health and Well-Being, helps to discover skin diseases linked to moisture while promoting greater health and well-being.
Launched by the Quality Education Team, LECTUREAID. The innovation is a platform for education that can be used to present instructional materials and carry out practical exercises, improving education overall.
GreenRadiant was offered by the Affordable and Clean Energy team. This invention is a solar IOT-based micro-grid system intended for intelligent energy management and consumption.
