Commission Targets 60 PhDs, Foreign Students Boost Under Special Project

National Universities Commission (NUC) has unveiled targets for the expansion phase of the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project, including the production of at least 60 PhD graduates and the enrolment of 60 foreign students across participating universities.

The executive secretary of NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, stated this during the signing of performance contracts by Vice-Chancellors of SPESSE-host universities in Abuja, yesterday.

He said the additional financing phase of the project had opened a new chapter in strengthening Nigeria’s capacity in procurement, environmental and social standards.

“We expect to see the production of at least 60 PhDs, the enrolment of no fewer than 60 foreign students, the facilitation of at least 18 staff internships, and the provision of no less than 60 student exchange programmes with foreign institutions.

“We already have an expression of interest from The Gambia to send some of their citizens to the Centres, and I urge the Vice-Chancellors to take advantage of this opportunity,” Ribadu stated.

According to him, the SPESSE Project was conceived to bridge the shortage of skilled professionals and specialised academic programmes in procurement, environmental and social safeguards within the Nigerian University System.

He said with support from the World Bank and under the coordination of the National Universities Commission, six Centres of Excellence were established across the six geo-political zones to ensure equitable access to capacity-building opportunities.

He noted that the participating universities emerged through a rigorous selection process that assessed institutional readiness, quality assurance and sustainability frameworks.