UniAbuja invests N10 million in research.

THE University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) has so far spent N10 million on undergraduate research grants awarded to qualified students as part of the university’s catch-them-young program.

Dr Taibat Adebukola Atoyebi, Director, Centre for Undergraduate Research, announced this on Wednesday at the 3rd Undergraduate Research Day, held at the University of Abuja’s Main Campus, where a total of N3,772,000 was presented to 10 students who won the 2022 grants.

She explained that the N10 million was for the total number of students who received research grants in the first, second, and third editions since the program’s inception in 2019.

Atoyebi stated that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, established the Center for Undergraduate Research to promote research and create opportunities for undergraduate students across all departments.

She went on to say that the center has helped students achieve and nurture their research potential by building and developing their research skills in order to find solutions to society’s problems.

“Our goal is to key into the quadruple helix model—Academics, Government, Industry, and Society—to foster growth in our community,” she explained.

Mobolaji Abdullateef, a 600 Level Veterinary student who was one of the first batch of undergraduate research grant recipients in 2019, has discovered an alternative treatment for diabetes.

On Wednesday, he presented the findings of his research at the 3rd Undergraduate Research Day. Abdullateef stated that his research effort resulted in the discovery of a local method of treating diabetes, which is still being tested for efficacy.

He mentioned that the cost of treating diabetes was exorbitant, and that the alternative Medicine extract would lower the cost of treatment for the patients.

Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, Vice-Chancellor of the University, who was represented by Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar, Chairman of the University of Abuja Research Council, stated that research and development (R&D) is critical to national development, thus the need to cultivate student interest in research.