Grooming Centre Nigeria, a microfinance organisation, has opened its application portal for this year’s university research grant initiative, which is open to students from both public and private tertiary institutions around the country.
Launched in 2019 as a corporate social intervention effort in education with only 25 beneficiaries, the number of beneficiaries has progressively increased over the last five years, reaching 393 at the HND, undergraduate, Master’s, and doctoral levels.
At a news conference to announce the opening of submission of applications for this year’s edition in Lagos, Mr Egulefu Chikezie, Head of Project, Grooming Centre Nigeria, said that the annual non-refundable grant aims to support and boost evidence-based research activities and knowledge among tertiary school students in critical economic areas that include social enterprise, microfinance, inclusive finance, rural development, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), women in development and other areas aimed at lifting people out of poverty.
The research proposals must be relevant to the Nigerian context, demonstrate practical innovation, and promote the specified areas of interest, he added.
Egulefu said the bank believes that so many university students in the country would want to carry out research works on problems-solved issues that are impactful to the economy but have no money, hence the purpose of the research grants to support them.
He stated that 150 students, 100 undergraduates and 50 postgraduates, are likely to benefit from the 2024 grants, and urged students to begin submitting projects before September 21st.
Mr Alex Ajibo, head of the scheme’s Technical Committee, provided insights into the modalities, emphasising the importance of originality and data inclusion in the research.
Eligible applicants must be students in NUC/NBTE-approved Nigerian universities or polytechnics and submit a written recommendation from their project supervisor. Proposals should be 8 to 25 pages, including an introduction, literature review, research methodology, and the candidate’s profile.