• The World Bank
Abuja – The World Bank has scored the African Centres of Excellence (ACEs) domiciled in Nigerian universities high in terms of living up to their mandates.
World Bank’s Country Director, Rachid Benmessaoud, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that the centres had performed creditably in terms of response to regional challenges.
Recall that the ACE Project was approved in 2013 and is will close at the end of 2018, with the World Bank committing 150 million dollars to the project.
Out of the 23 ACEs in Africa 10 are domiciled in Nigeria.
They are Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State – 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, Center for Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE); Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Center of Excellence on Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology.
University of Jos, Phytomedicine Research and Development, ; University of Benin, Center for Excellence in Reproductive Health and Innovation( CERHI); University of Port-Harcourt -ACE Center for Oil Field Chemicals (CEFOR).
Others are Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, OAU Knowledge Park (OAK-Park); Bayero University, Kano, African Centre of Excellence ACE in Dryland Agriculture( CDA), Benue State University, Makurd; Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER).
According to the World Bank country director, ACE is a regional project that is aimed at promoting research and technology development.
“ACE is meant to carry out research into societal problems and respond to the demands of society.
“Another essence of the projects is to make sure that students receive the right skills to be employable.
“The ACEs in Nigeria are living up to expectations and that is why they are called centres of excellence,’’ he said.
Benmessaoud particularly commended Redeemers University for developing Rapid Diagnostics Test kits for Lassa fever and Ebola virus.
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