10 Nigerian Universities have won the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) award

The Ten universities are: Redeemers Universities Mowe, Ogun State/ University of Ibadan, Ibadan Africa Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, (ACEGID), African University of Science and Technology, Abuja (PAN African Materials Institute, (PAMI), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (Centre for Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment.), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Center of Excellence on Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology), University of Jos (Phytomedicine Research and Development, ACEPRD), University of Benin (Centre for Excellence in Reproductive Health and Innovation), University of Port-Harcourt (ACE centre for Oil Field Chemicals.), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Bayero University, Kano and Benue State University, Makurdi. ACE project was initiated in 2013 by the governments of the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo with support from the World Bank. The objective of the ACE project, according to the Executive Secretary National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie at a news conference alongside World Bank delegation is essentially to promote regional specialisation amongst participating universities within areas that address particular regional developmental challenges as well as to strengthen the capacities of the participating universities to deliver high quality training and applied research. Okojie said the project consist of two components, firstly to build capacity in competitively selected institutions to produced in-demand highly skilled labour and applied research and also to facilitate rapid development within the African sub-region through the strengthening of excellence by way of collaborations and partnering in the sharing of talents, skilled labour and higher education services. Under the ACE programme, he disclosed that grants of N1, 352, 000, 000 Billion, ($ 8 Million) from the World Bank would be awarded to each winning proposals from various institutions and collaborating partners. Recently, the NUC boss told newsmen that recently, government embarked on needs assessment of the universities and owing to the enormity of the identified gaps has decided to invest the sum of N1. 3 trillion over the next six years. Supervising Minister of Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike applauded the universities for the award and encouraged them not to rest on their oars. Wike promised to inform President Goodluck Jonathan on the achievement which he said will further boost the country’s quality of education