EKSU RECORDS MAJOR RESEARCH MILESTONE AS TWO PROFESSORS SECURE ₦72.4 MILLION TETFund NATIONAL RESEARCH GRANTS
Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, has recorded another significant milestone in research and innovation as two of its distinguished scholars secured a total of ₦72.4 million under the 2026 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF) Intervention.
The grants, awarded for cutting-edge research projects, mark a historic achievement for the institution, being the first time EKSU has produced two successful grant recipients in a single National Research Fund cycle.
It also represents the university’s third consecutive success, following previous wins in the 2023 and 2024/2025 research cycles.
The successful researchers are:
Professor (Mrs.) Idowu Eunice Opeyemi of Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, who secured ₦44.8 million under the Cross-Cutting Cluster (NRF/CC/BEC/0054) for her research titled: “Investigation and Bioremediation of Microplastics in Fish, Water and Sediments from Reservoirs across the Six Geopolitical Zones in Nigeria.”
Professor Christopher Rotimi Falegan of Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, who was awarded ₦27.6 million under the Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) Cluster (NRF/SETI/HSW/00148) for his project titled: “Development and Evaluation of Seaweed-Derived Polysaccharide Gels for Wound Healing and Skin Repair Applications.”
The grants form part of the Federal Government’s ₦7.5 billion TETFund National Research Fund intervention, approved to support 174 research projects in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria.
The selected projects focus on national priority areas including renewable energy, environmental sustainability, waste management, food preservation and healthcare innovation.
Reacting to the achievement, the Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Professor Joseph Babatola Ayodele, described the twin awards as a testament to the university’s growing reputation for research excellence and innovation.
Professor Ayodele congratulated the award recipients and the entire university community, noting that the achievement reflects EKSU’s commitment to producing impactful research capable of addressing national and global challenges.
He reaffirmed the university’s resolve to continue creating an enabling environment for high-quality research, innovation and academic excellence.
Gbenga Oluwajana
For: Deputy Registrar/Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs