NLNG and NCDMB allocate N12.78bn for research chairs at six universities

Nigeria LNG Limited and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board have pledged N12.78 billion to set up professorial research chairs in six universities. Each university will receive about N2.13 billion, roughly $1.5 million.

The announcement was made in a statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt by NLNG Managing Director Mr Adeleye Falade. The statement was jointly issued by NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development Mrs Sophia Horsfall and NCDMB’s General Manager, Corporate Communications Division Dr Obinna Ezeobi.

The endowment forms part of the Nigerian Content Research and Development Professorial Chair Endowment Programme, overseen by NCDMB’s Directorate of Planning, Research and Statistics. The beneficiary institutions are the University of Ibadan, Rivers State University, Modibbo Adama University, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, University of Nigeria and University of Abuja.

Rivers State University will host the NLNG Research and Innovation Centre for Computer and Electrical Engineering, which will act as the coordinating centre for the six institutions. Falade said discussions are ongoing with the universities on implementation arrangements and praised Vice‑Chancellor Prof Isaac Zeb‑Obipi for supporting the collaboration.

Prospective partners such as Google, Cisco and MTN have shown interest in supporting the programme, Falade added. NCDMB Executive Secretary Mr Felix Ogbe urged the universities to focus on practical research that addresses challenges in the oil and gas sector. He described the chairs as a strategic investment that will help bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application.

The initiative is themed “Reshaping Nigeria’s Future Through Innovation, Research and Capacity Development”. It aims to strengthen local research capacity and improve collaboration between universities, government and industry. The chairs will promote specialised programmes, academic exchanges, sabbaticals, practical research and joint postgraduate curriculum development.