By ifeoma Onyekachi

Nigerian universities have been urged to significantly enhance their capacity to attract and manage international research grants as part of broader efforts to remain globally competitive, financially resilient, and academically relevant.

This call was made by the Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), Professor Andrew Haruna, alongside the Managing Director of Optimal Delivery Solutions Projects and Corporate Services Limited, Mr. Ken Oguzie, during a collaborative research workshop held at the CVCNU Secretariat in Abuja.

The workshop, themed “Unlocking Global Funding: Resource Mobilisation and International Grantsmanship for Nigerian Universities,” brought together academic leaders, research administrators, and policy stakeholders to address the persistent funding challenges facing Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

Speaking at the event, Haruna stressed that reliance on government subventions alone is no longer sustainable, particularly in the face of dwindling public funding and increasing demands on universities. He noted that institutions must develop robust grant acquisition frameworks, invest in proposal-writing expertise, and strengthen institutional research offices to compete effectively for global funding opportunities.

He further highlighted that many international funding bodies—including organisations such as the World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the European Union—provide substantial research grants in areas such as public health, climate change, agriculture, and digital innovation, yet Nigerian universities often underperform in accessing these funds due to limited institutional capacity.

Oguzie, in his remarks, underscored the importance of strategic partnerships, both local and international, as a pathway to unlocking funding opportunities. He emphasized that universities must adopt a more entrepreneurial approach to research, aligning their proposals with global development priorities and donor expectations.

According to him, weak grant management systems, poor compliance with international standards, and inadequate monitoring and evaluation frameworks have also hindered the ability of many institutions to secure repeat funding from global donors.

Experts at the workshop further pointed out that improving grantsmanship skills—such as proposal development, budgeting, and impact reporting—would not only increase funding inflows but also enhance the quality and visibility of Nigerian research on the global stage.

Nigeria’s university system has long grappled with underfunding, with budgetary allocations to education consistently falling below the UNESCO recommended benchmark of 15–20 per cent of national expenditure. Analysts say this has contributed to infrastructure deficits, brain drain, and declining research output.

Participants at the workshop agreed that building institutional capacity for global grants is critical to reversing these trends, fostering innovation, and positioning Nigerian universities as key contributors to international research and development.