The Nigerian government has launched a new initiative to secure $150 million in development funding from the World Bank to implement the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Innovate Project, aimed at strengthening research, innovation, and postgraduate education in the country’s universities. The proposed fund marks the next phase of the World Bank-supported ACE programme, which focuses on using higher education and innovation to address Nigeria’s critical development challenges.
At the official launch of the ACE Alliance and the unveiling of a four-volume Compendium of Key Achievements and Impacts of the ACE Project in Nigeria, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, confirmed that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, had initiated discussions with the Ministry of Finance to begin negotiations with the World Bank. Prof. Ribadu said the request underscores Nigeria’s determination to consolidate the project’s achievements and institutionalize excellence in university-based research and innovation.
He highlighted that over the past decade, 17 Nigerian universities hosting 20 Centres of Excellence have delivered world-class research and training in health, agriculture, ICT, education, and engineering. The ACE Innovate Project will build on these successes, with plans to collaborate with other development partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa to ensure long-term sustainability. Ribadu also inaugurated an interim steering committee for the ACE Alliance to foster collaboration and policy exchange among Nigeria’s centres.
Minister of Education Maruf Alausa commended the ACE Project’s impact, noting that it has strengthened Nigeria’s leadership role in African higher education. Co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD), the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes education as a driver of national development. The Compendium launched during the event documents over 2,000 peer-reviewed publications, a directory of scholars, and key innovations from Nigerian universities. Alausa emphasized that the ACE Alliance will transform universities into hubs of growth, innovation, and sustainable development, while enhancing global collaborations and academic mobility.
Dr. Joshua Atah, National Coordinator of the ACE Project, described the initiative as a “celebration of visionary investment and partnership” that has redefined Nigeria’s higher education since 2014. Nigeria has led Africa in ACE implementation — first under ACE I (2014) with 10 Centres, and then under ACE Impact (2019) with 17 Centres supported by the World Bank and AFD. The Centres have attracted over $145 million in performance-based funding, mobilized billions in additional resources, enrolled more than 45,000 students from 15 countries, produced over 6,600 graduates (including 1,596 PhDs), and published more than 4,200 research papers.
Dr. Atah recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, two Nigerian Centres of Excellence were designated as WHO testing laboratories, highlighting their scientific capacity. He added that the new ACE Alliance will serve as a sustainability platform to deepen partnerships, attract investment, and enhance innovation-driven development. “The ACE story proves that with vision and persistence, African universities can compete globally and drive continental transformation,” he said.
