The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) have launched a US$9 million professorial chair endowment programme across six Nigerian universities to develop commercially viable solutions to industry challenges, strengthen local research capacity, and advance technological innovation in the energy sector, reports ITREALMS.
Under the Nigerian Content Research and Development (NC-R&D) Professorial Chair Endowment Programme, each beneficiary institution receives US$1.5 million to establish a specialized professorial chair aligned with critical industry research priorities, implemented in partnership with the NCDMB and supervised by its Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate.
The six selected beneficiary institutions comprise the University of Ibadan, focusing on natural gas processing, pollution control, and environmental management; Rivers State University, focusing on digital engineering, intelligent energy systems, automation, and asset integrity through its coordinating hub, the NLNG Research and Innovation Centre for Computer and Electrical Engineering (RICCEE); Modibbo Adama University, undertaking research in energy transition and the environment; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, concentrating on sustainable energy innovation and climate-resilient food systems; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, specializing in green energy production and geoenvironmental engineering; and the University of Abuja (Yakubu Gowon University), focusing on geoscience and satellite intelligence for resilient gas infrastructure.
At the official kick-off ceremony, NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adeleye Falade, delivered a keynote address titled “Reshaping Nigeria’s Future Through Innovation, Research and Capacity Development,” emphasizing that sustained collaboration between government, industry, and academia is vital as energy systems rapidly evolve.
He noted that preliminary discussions are underway with global technology leaders such as Google, Cisco, and MTN regarding potential secondary support for the initiative, and commended Rivers State University Vice-Chancellor Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi for advancing the collaboration framework. Urging institutions to look beyond traditional academic publishing, Falade encouraged them to pursue additional grants, build external research partnerships, and aggressively drive the commercialisation of intellectual property.
Echoing this perspective, NCDMB Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe described the US$9 million endowment as a strategic cornerstone for Nigeria's innovation ecosystem, noting that the initiative complements the Board's broader investments in specialized R&D Centres of Excellence across Nigerian universities. He charged the beneficiary institutions to treat the endowments as a serious operational responsibility, delivering measurable outcomes, prudent resource management, and direct industrial applications that enhance the competitiveness of Nigeria's oil and gas sector. The initiative incorporates flexible pathways for industry professionals to contribute technical and practical expertise while pursuing advanced degrees, aligning directly with NLNG’s newly approved NextGen Nigerian Content Strategy under the guiding maxim: “Start Local, Go Global, Think Nigerian Content.”
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