REPS LAUD TETFUND FOR PROMOTING RESEARCH, INNOVATIONS AMONGST NIGERIAN STUDENTS, YOUTH 18-02-24
By Sadiq Aminu Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund has been applauded by the House of Representatives for championing creative researches and establishing innovative hubs for the promotion of science and technology education amongst Nigerian students and youth.
The Deputy Speaker Mr Benjamin Kalu, at a closing ceremony of a two-week cohort learning for some selected Nigerian students, researchers and academia at the Abuja Innov8 Hub, said the Parliament would continue to support creative activities that tended to develop the minds of Nigerian youth with innovations, such as the one undertaken by the TETFund.
Termed “Research for Impact Initiative (R4i)”, the programme is a collaborative endeavour by TETFund and Innov8 Hub, launched in year 2022, to usher in a new era of innovation, technology, research and development in Nigeria with the aim to spur economic growth and comprehensive national development.
The Deputy Speaker said that in today’s rapidly evolving world, innovation is no longer a luxury but a necessity, stressing that it is the key to unlocking economic growth, tackling complex challenges, and building a brighter future for the youth and generations to come.
“For Nigeria, this need for innovation is even more crucial. We face numerous challenges, from unemployment and poverty to security threats and climate change. To overcome these obstacles and achieve sustainable development, we must unleash the immense potential of our people, particularly our young minds brimming with creative ideas and
entrepreneurial spirit.
“This is where initiatives like the Innov8 Hub by i-FAIR come into play. By
providing mentorship, resources, and collaboration platforms, these
programs empower our innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs to
transform their ideas into tangible solutions”, Kalu added.
Mr. Kalu also acknowledged the role of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Nigeria and the Israeli community, in “partnering with Nigeria in this crucial endeavor.
He said that it is the lot of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Nigeria to innovate for the good of the country even as he expressed joy that TETFund is planning to expand the hub and provide the needed platforms for innovation.
“The President (Tinubu) believes that we need to innovate. Nigeria believes that we need to innovate. That is why every agency of government, such as TETFund, has been given all that is needed to push innovation from where this administration met it, to where it ought to be. And I’m happy, speaking from the parliament, that the man who is driving it is my good friend, he is not sleeping, he is interested in pushing. I’m proud of you. I’m really proud of you!
The Deputy Speaker also called for the establishment of such innovation hubs across the South East region of Nigeria, to mitigate the impacts of insecurity and underdevelopment, which is part of the programs being undertaken by the Peace in South East Project (PISE-P).
Earlier in his speech, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono said the initiative is part of the Fund’s strategy to reposition public tertiary institutions as a catalyst for national rebirth to a knowledge economy for socio-economic development.
He appreciated Innov8 for partnering TETFund to propagate and advance an innovation ecosystem in Nigeria’s tertiary education sphere, saying the role of the firm in providing the technical expertise needed to bring the ideas of participants to life is highly commendable.