The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has said that the proposed National Research and Development (R&D) Foundation would begin operation within the next nine months.
Its executive secretary, Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro, disclosed this in Abuja Thursday when he led the Fund’s R&D sub-committee on Defence and Security on a courtesy visit to the Chief of Naval of Staff, Vice Admiral, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.
Bogoro, who had earlier convened TETFund’s Standing Committee on R&D, sought the support of the Nigerian Navy towards the takeoff of the foundation.
He said: “We are requesting that you support the case for the emergence of the R & D Foundation.
The most competitive technologies and economies in the world have something similar to this.
“In Nigeria we don’t have it…, the National R&D Foundation will be the largest funding body for research but it is not just funding, the target application of the funds is the areas that these subcommittees are identifying carefully that they will advise us leading to our interface with Attorney General of the Federation when the Bill is developed.
“And to the National Assembly and to all of us, we seek your support to encourage us. We are hoping that the Foundation should come perhaps much less than nine months from now.”
The TETFund boss further appealed to Nigerian Navy to partner with TETFund in promoting R&D in the country in order to bring about a knowledge-based economy and ensure that security challenges are tackled by leveraging on research output.
The Naval Chief commended TETFund for the massive transformation of higher educational institutions in Nigeria.
In his response, the minister threw his weight behind the proposed R&D Foundation, saying it had become necessary to enhance the development of home-grown solutions to the various needs in every sector of the country.
The minister assured TETFund of his full support for the Foundation even as he commended Bogoro for championing research in the country,
