Four FUOYE Scholars Secure ₦89.9m Federal Research Grants

​EKITI, NIGERIA — In a major boost to academic innovation, four prominent scholars at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) have secured a combined sum of ₦89.964 million in National Research Fund (NRF) grants. The funding, facilitated by the Federal Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is aimed at pioneering solutions to some of Nigeria’s most pressing socio-economic, technological, and medical challenges.

​The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, announced the milestone on Monday, describing the feat as a testament to the institution’s rising profile as a leading research-driven university on both national and global scales.

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​The grant winners emerged following a highly competitive, multi-stage vetting process by the NRF selection committee. The funded projects focus on vital national interests, including formal labour market issues, cutting-edge classroom artificial intelligence, dermatological breakthroughs, and advanced diabetic wound management.

​Meet the Awardees and Their Research Focus

​The ₦89.9m grant has been distributed across four critical projects led by distinguished faculty members:

• ​Prof. Omotosho Babatunde Joshua
  • ​Project Title: Towards Addressing Unemployment Situation in Nigerian Formal Labour Market
  • ​Grant Awarded: ₦19.964 million
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  • ​Dr. Adeniyi Bolajoko Florence (Reader, Department of Educational Management)
    • ​Project Title: From Chalkboards to Intelligent Systems: Comparative Analysis of Traditional and AI-Driven Teaching in Nigerian Federal Universities for Global Competitiveness
    • ​Grant Awarded: ₦20 million
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    • ​Dr. Ojo Stephen Kayode (Reader, Department of Microbiology)
      • ​Project Title: Development of Innovative Cosmetic Formulations Using Fungal Melanin for Hair Growth Enhancement, Follicle Preservation, and Dandruff Management
      • ​Grant Awarded: ₦21 million
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      • ​Dr. Adeleye Olutayo Ademola (Reader, Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology)
        • ​Project Title: Combating Diabetic Wounds Using Natural Remedy with Ethosomal Hydrogel Topical Delivery
        • ​Grant Awarded: ₦29 million
        n ​Driving National Growth Through Localized Solutions ​The highest single allocation of ₦29 million awarded to Dr. Adeleye Olutayo Ademola highlights an intensifying focus on pharmaceutical self-sufficiency in Nigeria, leveraging ethosomal hydrogel technology to create advanced, accessible treatments for chronic diabetic wounds. Concurrently, Dr. Adeniyi’s study on artificial intelligence lands at a pivotal time, as the Osin-Ekiti community recently presented a formal proposal to partner with FUOYE to host an upcoming Institute of Artificial Intelligence. ​Reacting to the funding accolades, Vice-Chancellor Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole commended the scholars for bringing substantial honour to the institution. ​”These grants are clear evidence of the exceptional quality of scholarship thriving within our faculties,” Ogunwole stated. “The university management remains unyielding in its commitment to fostering an enabling environment for cutting-edge innovation. We are entirely confident that these projects will yield actionable, impactful findings that address critical national issues and elevate FUOYE’s global visibility.” ​This academic breakthrough follows a steady sequence of institutional achievements for the university, including its recent rise in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rankings, further solidifying FUOYE’s status as a rapidly growing hub for impactful public research in West Africa.