The Nigerian government on Monday marked a milestone in its higher education reform efforts with the launch of the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Alliance and the accompanying Compendium: key achievements and impacts of the ACE project in Nigeria.
The launch, held at the National Universities Commission (NUC), was spearheaded by the Education Minister, Olatunji Alausa, who highlighted the initiative’s crucial role in transforming Nigeria’s academic and research landscape.
The newly inaugurated ACE Alliance brings together all 20 Centres of Excellence established across Nigeria under the World Bank-supported ACE Project.
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The minister emphasised that this move is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leader in higher education, foster transnational collaboration, and accelerate the nation’s drive towards a knowledge-driven economy, aligning perfectly with President Bola Tinubu, GCFR’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“By coming together under the ACE Alliance, our Centres are now better positioned to forge stronger partnerships with leading global institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and the University of Oxford”, stated Alausa.
He noted that these collaborations would facilitate joint degrees, faculty exchanges, and collaborative research that offer mutual benefits to faculty and students.
A key component of the event was the unveiling of the compendium, presented in four volumes.
This comprehensive document chronicles the substantial achievements of the Centres, ranging from cutting-edge research and international partnerships to the development of solutions tackling real-world development challenges.
Alausa also toured various exhibitions showcasing research projects and innovative products developed by Nigerian scholars.
He expressed deep admiration for the “quality, creativity, and impact” of the work, describing it as a clear demonstration of the nation’s vast capabilities in research and innovation.
To ensure sustained support for the country’s growing research community, the minister revealed that Tinubu has approved the establishment of the National Research and Development Fund.
This fund is set to provide robust financial backing for research and innovation initiatives across the country.
Alausa extended gratitude to the NUC for its exemplary coordination of the ACE Project and acknowledged the invaluable support from development partners, including the World Bank, the French Development Agency (AFD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), JICA, and the Association of African Universities (AAU).
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He also commended the efforts of the host university Vice-Chancellors, Centre Leaders, and project teams.
The collective effort, he asserted, is aimed at “building a stronger, more competitive higher education system that equips Nigeria’s youth for global excellence.”
