Some undergraduate students of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) have received N5.45 million grant to conduct research. 

The grant is the highest since the inception of the initiative.

Presenting the cheque to the awardees on Tuesday during the 6th Undergraduate Research Day organised by UniAbuja’s Centre for Undergraduate Research, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, expressed the institution’s unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of curiosity and innovation.

She said: “At the University of Abuja, we are committed to fostering an environment where curiosity thrives, creativity flourishes, and innovation leads to solutions for societal challenges.”

She said the theme of the event, ‘Promoting National Development Through Research,’ underscored the university’s dedication to purposeful inquiry and impactful solutions. 

The vice-chancellor urged students to seize the opportunity provided by the university’s conducive environment to develop a passion for research that addresses societal challenges.

She added: “As undergraduates, you are the next generation of thought leaders and change-makers. Your involvement in research today prepares you not only for academic excellence but also for contributing meaningfully to our nation’s growth.

“Whether it is in addressing health challenges, advancing technology, enhancing governance, or ensuring sustainability, the solutions to our greatest national issues lie in the quality of ideas that emerge from platforms like this.”

She commended the Centre for Undergraduate Research for its commitment to nurturing young talent and pledged continued support for research activities within the university.

The Director of the Centre for Undergraduate Research, Prof. Taibat Atoyebi, said twenty groups of undergraduate students expressed interest in this year’s research grants while thirteen teams were shortlisted to submit research proposals, with six ultimately selected.

She said: “In preparation for this 6th Research Day, twenty groups of students expressed interest in CUR research grants. Thirteen teams were shortlisted to submit research proposals and were given the opportunity to orally defend their proposals. Six research proposals scaled through and are being presented today. A total of N5,450,000.00 is the total grant being awarded.”

Prof. Atoyebi outlined the eligibility criteria for student research projects, noting that they must be original, acceptable, practicable, sustainable, and mentored.

She added that the awardees are required to present periodic progress reports on their research or innovative projects to the Centre.

The six proposals submitted by the student researchers that secured the awards are Bioactive Compounds from K. pinnata and J. tanjorensis: Isolation, Characterisation, and Evaluation of Anti-anaemic and Hepatoprotective Effects in Rats; Assessment of Biosafety and Waste Management Practices in Abattoirs in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria; Application of Vermitechnology in Solid Waste Management and Sustainable Agriculture and Evaluating the Phytochemicals and Antidiabetic Properties of Curry Leaves.

Others are Using AI and ML to Model Energy Consumption in University of Abuja’s Students’ Hostels: A Macroeconomic Approach and Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Calopogonium Mucunoides and Mitracarpus Species (Rubiaceae) against Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae.