World Bank 2et To Spend At Least $80m On 10 Universities in Nigeria As Africa Centre of Excellence

 

          ABUJA — World Bank is set to spend at least $80m on 10 universities in Nigeria as Africa Centre of Excellence, ACE.

       World Bank Lead Economist, Africa Education, Mr. Andreas Blom, stated this, yesterday, at a meeting of World Bank with the 10 ACE, in Abuja.
The universities include Redeemer University Mowe, Ogun State; University of Ibadan, Ibadan (Africa Centre of Excellence for Genomic of Infectious Diseases, ACGID); African University of Science and Technology, Abuja; Pan African Material Institute, PAMI); and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (Centre for Agricutural Development and Sustainable Environment).

Others are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Centre of Excellence on Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology); University of Jos (Phytomemedicine Research and Development, ACEPRD); University of Benin (Centre for Excellence in Reproductive Health and Innovation); and University of Port Harcourt (ACE centre for oil field chemicals).


Due to the number of excellent proposals from Nigeria, three more universities were added to the list – Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, (for National Science Technology ); Bayero University, Kano (for excellence in dryland agriculture, and Benue State University, Makurdi (for food technology and research) – agriculture.

Blom said it was unfortunate that none of  African universities made the list of top  500 universities in the world, and hoped that the scenario changed soon.

He identified poverty as a major challenge in relation to food wastage, storage and health related challenges, noting that by the time ACE was able to engage the continent, at least 25 universities on the continent would make the first 500 universities in the world.

He stressed the importance of working together with World Bank through commitment and hardship.

“For Nigeria to have 10 out of 18 centres of ACEs, it shows its clear leadership in the continent,” he said.

Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie,  said in his address that the ACE project was initiated in 2013 by the governments of Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso,   Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo, with support from World Bank.
          Source Vanguard