UniAbuja VC Awards N5.4m Grants To Research Teams

The vice chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, has awarded six grants totalling N5.45 million to research teams.

This was announced yesterday during the 6th Undergraduate Research Day in Abuja, which was themed “Promoting National Development Through Research.”

The research grants were awarded through the University of Abuja Centre for Undergraduate Research (CUR).

Speaking, Maikudi reaffirmed the university’s commitment to fostering an environment of curiosity, creativity, and innovation, aligning research outcomes with solutions to societal challenges.

“We are committed to fostering an environment where curiosity thrives, creativity flourishes, and innovation solves societal challenges.

“As undergraduates, you are the next generation of thought-seekers and change-makers,” she said, praising the Centre for Undergraduate Research and its consultative members for their dedication to nurturing the students and empowering them to address real-world issues.

Earlier, Prof. Taibat Adebukola Atoyebi, the director of CUR, said twenty groups of students expressed interest in the research grants. Thirteen teams were shortlisted to submit research proposals, and six were ultimately selected.

Atoyebi added that three students who had previously presented their research proposals during the 4th Research Day also presented their final results at this year’s event.

She mentioned that the CUR is already accepting applications for the next round of research grants, with a revised criterion that emphasises aligning student research with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address pertinent societal needs.

Atoyebi further announced that the 7th Research Day will take place in the second semester, where the findings from the research presented this year will be shared.

The grant recipients and their research topics are as follows: Team One, spearheaded by Ngutswen Aondonenge Emmanuel (Department of Biological Science) Bioactive Compounds from K. pinnata and J. tanjorensis: Isolation, Characterisation, and Evaluation of Anti-anaemic and Hepatoprotective Effects in Rats.

Others are Isa Iqraam Ozavize (Department of Veterinary Medicine), who spearheaded team two has “Assessment of Biosafety and Waste Management Practices in Abattoirs in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Madaki Enyojo Nathan (Microbiology) Application of Vermitechnology in Solid Waste Management and Sustainable Agriculture.

Also, Egbeji Paul Owam (Medical Laboratory Science) proposed “Evaluating the Phytochemicals and Antidiabetic Properties of Curry Leaves (Murraya koenigii), while Okolie Juliet Ukamaka (Economics) submitted a proposal on Using AI and ML to Model Energy Consumption at University of Abuja’s Students’ Hostels: A Macroeconomic Approach.