The Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has once again affirmed its status as a rising hub of research excellence in Nigeria. The institution recorded another milestone as three distinguished scholars secured the prestigious 2024 National Research Fund (NRF) grants under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The winning projects, spread across energy, media, and health sciences, reflect FUOYE’s commitment to innovative, multidisciplinary, and problem-driven research that addresses both national and global challenges.
The first grant went to Professor Olayide Lawal of the Department of Chemistry, who doubles as the University’s Director of Research and Development. His groundbreaking project focuses on non-fossil-based alternative energy production from plant biomass. Specifically, Lawal and his team will investigate the Sustainable Energy Production via Catalytic Thermochemical Conversion of Water Hyacinths and Upgrading of their Crude Bio-Oil via Ultrasound. The initiative seeks to develop novel catalysts capable of transforming invasive aquatic weeds into biofuel, which will be refined through physicochemical processes for sustainable energy applications.
Professor Lawal explained that biofuels represent green and eco-friendly energy alternatives that could help mitigate the environmental impacts of fossil fuel exploration. The project aligns directly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on climate action and affordable clean energy. According to him, the research is multidisciplinary, drawing expertise from both science and engineering, to create a prototype biorefinery system that could revolutionize biofuel production in Nigeria.
The research team under Lawal’s leadership features notable scholars, including Professor Olatunde Oyelaran of FUOYE’s Department of Mechanical Engineering; Professor Pauline Chris-Okafor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; and Dr. Abiodun Adeoye and Dr. Kehinde Sodeinde of FUOYE’s Chemistry Department. Others include Dr. Akeem Akinfenwa of Summit University, Offa; Dr. Beatrice Bello of the Nigerian Institute for Marine Research (NIOMR); and Mrs. Memunat Olagoke of NASENI. FUOYE postgraduate students, Mr. Imam Naziru and Miss Rukayat Quadri, are also part of the dynamic team.
In another major stride, Dr. Toyin Onayinka, Head of the Department of Broadcasting in the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, secured a grant for an ambitious interdisciplinary project on fake news and misinformation. Onayinka’s work will combine natural language processing, machine learning, and field-based research to map how On-Air Personalities (OAPs) and social media influencers contribute to misinformation. The project will also develop a large annotated dataset for Nigeria and deploy a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tool capable of flagging, classifying, and visualising misinformation in real time.
The envisaged outcome is the creation of a national hub for monitoring falsehoods in the Nigerian media landscape. The hub will generate analytical dashboards and reports useful for policymakers, regulators, and media organisations. Onayinka stressed that in an age where misinformation fuels polarisation and erodes public trust, such an initiative is critical for Nigeria’s socio-political stability and democratic resilience.
Her team comprises Dr. Jacob Kehinde Opele, an expert in Information Management at FUOYE; Dr. Lawrence Bunmi Adewole, a specialist in Artificial Intelligence also from FUOYE; and Dr. Chioma Ifeoma Agbasimelo of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, who focuses on Strategic Communication. Other collaborators include Dr. Blessing Vou Dakat of the University of Jos, renowned for her expertise in discourse and pragmatics, as well as Mrs. Grace Oluwakemi Onipede, a junior researcher from FUOYE’s Faculty of Communication and Media Studies.
The third NRF grant winner from FUOYE is Dr. Emmanuel Adelaja Bamigbola, Head of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology in the Faculty of Pharmacy. His project, situated within the Translational Research and Drug Delivery (TREDD) framework, focuses on combating breast and prostate cancers using innovative plant-derived anticancer nanodrugs. The project underscores the global urgency of developing safer, more effective therapies for cancer, which remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
Dr. Bamigbola’s interdisciplinary team includes Associate Professor Adekunle Theophilus Adegbuyi from FUOYE’s Pharmacology and Toxicology Department; Associate Professor John Oludele Olanlokun of the University of Ibadan; and Dr. Abiodun Abioye Oyeleke of FUOYE’s Anatomy Department. Also on the team are Dr. Ifesinachi Concilia Iyeh from Animal and Environmental Biology (FUOYE) and Miss Adepero Olubukola Awolesi from Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine (FUOYE). Together, they aim to isolate bioactive compounds from plants and use nanotechnology to engineer novel anticancer drug delivery systems.
The project is designed to optimise drug potency, stability, and bioavailability while ensuring higher target specificity and reduced drug resistance. According to Bamigbola, the research will also involve preclinical trials using experimental animals to test the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the newly developed nanodrugs compared to conventional treatments. The ultimate goal is to escalate the innovation to clinical trials and eventually offer Nigerian patients less toxic and more effective cancer therapies.
Reacting to these remarkable achievements, FUOYE’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olubunmi Shittu, congratulated the scholars and their teams. He lauded their resilience and intellectual depth, which enabled them to secure highly competitive grants. Professor Shittu further noted that FUOYE remains committed to prioritising research and development, particularly in areas that offer direct solutions to societal needs.
In his remarks, Professor Lawal, who doubles as both a grant recipient and Director of Research, acknowledged the institutional support that enabled FUOYE’s success. He praised the contributions of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, and the entire management team. Lawal noted that collective efforts, including training workshops and peer-review sessions, strengthened FUOYE scholars’ proposals, ensuring their competitiveness.
The multiple NRF wins underscore FUOYE’s transformation into a research-driven university capable of generating knowledge for sustainable development. The university’s leadership has consistently promoted an enabling environment for scholars to engage in impactful research while forging collaborations across Nigerian institutions and beyond.
Observers note that these achievements also position FUOYE as a model for other universities, showing how strategic investment in research capacity building can yield tangible outcomes. As the global economy continues to prioritise energy transition, media integrity, and health innovations, FUOYE’s projects reflect Nigeria’s potential to contribute meaningfully to global knowledge systems.
With these NRF grants, FUOYE has not only expanded its research portfolio but also strengthened its reputation as a knowledge hub committed to addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges. The three projects in energy, media, and health sciences exemplify the university’s vision to produce solutions-driven scholarship that bridges the gap between academia and society.
