NLNG, NCDMB LAUNCH $9M RESEARCH ENDOWMENT FOR SIX NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) have launched a $9 million professorial chair endowment programme across six Nigerian universities to strengthen local research capacity, promote technological innovation and develop commercially viable solutions to challenges in the oil and gas industry.

Under the Nigerian Content Research and Development (NC-R&D) Professorial Chair Endowment Programme, each beneficiary institution will receive $1.5 million to establish a specialised professorial chair dedicated to agreed industry research priorities.

The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the NCDMB under the supervision of its Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate.

The six beneficiary institutions are the University of Ibadan, Oyo State; Rivers State University; Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Kano State; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State; and Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.

Speaking at the programme’s kick-off ceremony, NLNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adeleye Falade, described the endowment as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s ability to transform academic research into practical industrial solutions.

In his keynote address, titled *“Reshaping Nigeria’s Future Through Innovation, Research and Capacity Development,”* Falade emphasised the need for sustained collaboration among government, industry and academic institutions.

“In the energy industry, we understand that technology and energy systems are evolving and the requirement for sustained research cannot be overemphasised,” he said.

He explained that the programme would support research into critical industry challenges, including operational efficiency, emissions management, safety, infrastructure integrity and sustainable industrial processes.

Falade also advocated a “triple helix” model of collaboration involving government, industry and academia through specialised training programmes, academic and industry exchanges, sabbaticals, practical testing of research findings and the joint development of postgraduate curricula.

The six universities will conduct research in different specialised fields, while the NLNG Research and Innovation Centre for Computer and Electrical Engineering (RICCEE) at Rivers State University is expected to serve as the coordinating centre for collaboration among the institutions.

Falade said discussions were already ongoing with Rivers State University on implementation arrangements. He commended the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, for his role in advancing the proposed partnership.

He also disclosed that other potential partners, including Google, Cisco and MTN, had indicated interest in supporting the initiative.

Highlighting the opportunities for younger researchers, the NLNG chief executive urged the universities to use the endowments to deepen research expertise, attract additional grants and funding, and pursue the commercialisation of intellectual property.

“Expand the scope, reach for more grants and funding which can push the frontiers of knowledge and commercialisation of intellectual property,” he said.

He acknowledged the NCDMB’s role in bringing the programme to fruition and stressed the importance of sustained commitment to technology transfer and home-grown solutions without compromising quality assurance and safety standards.

According to him, the programme’s long-term value would be measured by stronger research institutions, practical solutions deployed in the industry and the development of a new generation of Nigerian researchers and professionals.

In his remarks, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the $9 million endowment as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s research and innovation ecosystem.

Represented by his Senior Technical Adviser, Engr. Austin Uzoka, Ogbe said the initiative complemented the Board’s investments in research infrastructure, including the establishment of specialised Research and Development Centres of Excellence across six universities.

He said the interventions demonstrated the Nigerian oil and gas industry’s commitment to building an integrated research ecosystem connecting academic expertise, modern infrastructure, industry needs and commercialisation opportunities.

Ogbe said the professorial chairs would help bridge the longstanding gap between academic research and industrial application by supporting specialised studies in critical areas of industry operations.

He challenged the beneficiary institutions to move beyond research conducted primarily for academic publication and focus more on practical applications capable of transforming industry operations.

According to him, the universities would be expected to deliver clearly defined research objectives, measurable outcomes, prudent resource utilisation, effective stakeholder engagement and sustained collaboration with industry partners.

He added that the programme should generate commercially viable solutions, strengthen local technological capabilities, improve industrial competitiveness and support the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The endowment assigns specific research priorities to each institution.

The University of Ibadan will focus on natural gas processing, pollution control and environmental management, while Rivers State University will concentrate on digital engineering, intelligent energy systems, automation and asset integrity.

Modibbo Adama University will undertake research in energy transition and the environment. Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology will focus on sustainable energy innovation and climate-resilient food systems.

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, will specialise in green energy production and geoenvironmental engineering, while Yakubu Gowon University will concentrate on geoscience and satellite intelligence for resilient gas infrastructure.

Each institution will work towards agreed research targets and commercialisation pathways to ensure that findings can be translated into practical solutions. The universities will also jointly host an information management hub to promote knowledge sharing and exchange programmes.

The funding will also cover minor civil works and infrastructure upgrades required to convert designated spaces into functional research centres.

The programme is expected to create opportunities for industry professionals to contribute practical expertise while pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees. The arrangement is also designed to expose students to industry experience and strengthen the link between postgraduate education and real-world problem-solving.

The initiative aligns with NLNG’s recently approved **NextGen Nigerian Content Strategy**, which is built around sustaining previous achievements, enabling deeper adoption of Nigerian Content Development as a business principle and accelerating support for the transformation of local content development.

Through the partnership, NLNG and NCDMB aim to strengthen Nigerian expertise, expand local technological capacity and improve the country’s ability to develop solutions to challenges within its energy and industrial sectors.

The initiative is anchored on the message: **“Start Local, Go Global, Think Nigerian Content.”**