The Federal University Dutse has secured N53 million in research funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to develop solutions to banditry and mosquito-borne diseases in Nigeria.
The grants, awarded under the TETFund National Research Fund, will support two separate 24-month research projects focusing on insecurity in northern Nigeria and innovative mosquito control.
The university’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Abdullahi Yahaya, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday.
Yahaya said the funding represented an important opportunity for researchers at the university to develop practical solutions to some of the country’s pressing security and public health challenges.
“One project focuses on insecurity, while the other targets public health by controlling mosquitoes,” he said.
The first project, which received N25 million, will be led by Professor Ado Garba Jangargari and focuses on addressing the socioeconomic factors contributing to banditry and kidnapping in northern Nigeria.
Titled, “Tech for Peace: Engaging Northern Pastoralists in Non-Agricultural Livelihoods to Counter Banditry and Kidnapping,” the research will examine how technology and alternative livelihood opportunities can be used to reduce the vulnerability of pastoralist communities to criminal activities.
The university said the project is expected to explore ways of engaging northern pastoralists in non-agricultural economic activities while developing approaches that could contribute to peacebuilding and reduce insecurity.
The second project, led by Professor Joshua Balogun, received N28 million and is focused on developing an innovative approach to mosquito control.
The project, titled “Development of Indoor Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Machine (iCor-SeMa) for Diversionary Control of Mosquitoes in Nigeria,” is aimed at developing technology that could help control mosquito populations within indoor environments.
Yahaya said both projects would run for 24 months, giving the researchers two years to conduct their studies, develop findings and produce outcomes capable of addressing challenges affecting communities.
“The researchers have two years to deliver results that can make real impact in our communities,” he said.
The Acting Director said the grants reflected the growing research capacity of the university and its efforts to encourage academic staff to pursue competitive funding opportunities.
He disclosed that the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Ahmad Gumel, had congratulated the two researchers for securing the grants.
According to Yahaya, Gumel urged the researchers to ensure that the projects were implemented according to the approved timelines and met the required academic and research standards.
“Prof. Gumel charged them to ensure timely execution and quality delivery of the research,” Yahaya stated.
The Vice-Chancellor also expressed optimism that the university would secure additional research grants as more academic staff become familiar with opportunities provided by TETFund, international research organisations and other funding institutions.
Yahaya said the university management had continued to sensitise its academic staff on how to identify and apply for research grants locally and internationally.
He added that the university remained committed to supporting research projects capable of producing practical solutions to national challenges.
“The university management is committed to supporting research that addresses national problems,” the statement quoted Gumel as saying.
The management, according to the Acting Director, would also monitor the implementation of the two projects to ensure that the researchers meet the objectives set by TETFund and deliver the expected outcomes.
“We expect outcomes that will benefit not only Jigawa but the entire country,” Yahaya said.
The development comes amid persistent security challenges in northern Nigeria, where banditry and kidnapping have disrupted livelihoods, displaced communities and affected economic activities in several states.
Similarly, mosquito-borne diseases remain a major public health concern in Nigeria, with malaria and other mosquito-transmitted infections placing pressure on households and the healthcare system.
The two research projects therefore bring together academic research, technology and community-focused interventions in areas with significant implications for national development.
West Trybe reports that the N53 million research grants position Federal University Dutse to contribute academic and technological solutions to two major challenges confronting Nigeria. The projects also highlight the growing role of tertiary institutions in developing locally driven responses to insecurity and public health problems through research and innovation.
