The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, has called for deeper investment in research culture and quality assurance systems as West African universities reposition for global relevance.
Ribadu spoke at the 11th Annual Conference and 13th General Meeting of the Association of West African Universities, held from 17 to 20 February 2026 at the Bintumani Conference Centre in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Addressing participants on the theme “Research Culture: Bridging Innovation with Quality Assurance,” he said the strength of higher institutions in the region would increasingly be judged not only by access and expansion, but by the depth, credibility and real world impact of their research systems.
He stressed that deliberate policy implementation, sustained infrastructure investment and effective internal quality assurance frameworks remain essential to building a thriving research ecosystem.
Ribadu also highlighted the role of the African Centres of Excellence initiative, noting that the ACE Alliance launched in November 2025 is designed to consolidate gains recorded by Nigeria’s Centres of Excellence and sustain regional collaboration.
The conference featured goodwill messages from senior government and education stakeholders across West Africa, including Sierra Leonean ministers, Nigerian federal lawmakers on tertiary education, and heads of major education agencies. Vice chancellors from Nigeria, Ghana and The Gambia were also in attendance, reflecting the regional importance of the gathering.
While in Freetown, Ribadu attended the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony, where two Nigerian military leaders were honoured for their contributions to peacekeeping and defence cooperation.
The development was shared on the commission’s official X platform, where the NUC highlighted Ribadu’s participation and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening research driven higher education across the region.
