By Paul Williams
The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) have launched a US$9 million programme to fund professorial research chairs in six Nigerian universities, targeting commercially viable solutions to industry challenges, strengthening local research capacity and advancing technological innovation.
Under the Nigerian Content Research and Development (NC-R&D) Professorial Chair Endowment Programme, each university will receive US$1.5 million to establish a specialised professorial chair focused on agreed industry research priorities.
A release signed by General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, NLNG, Sophia Horsfall, and General Manager, Corporate Communications Division, NCDMB, Obinna Ezeobi, said the initiative is being implemented in partnership with the NCDMB, under the supervision of its Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate.
The beneficiary institutions include 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 University of Abuja (Yakubu Gowon University), Abuja, FCT.
Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Adeleye Falade, described the programme as an investment in Nigeria’s capacity to translate academic knowledge into practical solutions. His keynote address, titled “Reshaping Nigeria’s Future Through Innovation, Research and Capacity Development”, emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration between government, industry and academia.
“In the energy industry, we understand that technology and energy systems are evolving and the requirement for sustained research cannot be overemphasised,” Falade said.
He noted that the programme would support research into challenges central to the energy industry’s future, including improving operational efficiency, managing emissions, strengthening safety, maintaining critical infrastructure and making industrial processes more sustainable.
Beyond the research endowments, Falade outlined opportunities for a “triple helix” approach that brings government, industry and academia together through specialised programmes, sabbaticals, exchange opportunities, practical testing of research assumptions and the joint development of postgraduate curricula.
The six beneficiary universities will undertake research in distinct areas, while the NLNG Research and Innovation Centre for Computer and Electrical Engineering (RICCEE) at Rivers State University is envisaged as the coordinating point for collaborations among the universities.
Falade said discussions were already under way with the university on implementation arrangements and commended its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, for his role in advancing the proposed collaboration.
“We have already gotten indications of other partners like Google, Cisco and MTN who are showing interest to support this initiative,” he said.
Falade also highlighted the opportunities for younger researchers to deepen their expertise, investigate industry problems and learn from experienced academics and practitioners.
He urged the beneficiary institutions to build on the endowments by strengthening research partnerships, attracting additional funding and pursuing 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.
Acknowledging NCDMB’s role in bringing the initiative to fruition, Falade called for sustained commitment to technology transfer and the development of home-grown solutions without compromising quality assurance or safety.
He emphasised that the programme’s lasting value would lie in stronger institutions, research outcomes deployed in the field and the development of the next generation of Nigerian researchers and industry professionals.
Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the US$9 million endowment programme represents a strategic investment in the future of Nigeria’s research and innovation ecosystem.
He said the initiative complements the board’s ongoing investments in research infrastructure, including the establishment of specialised R&D Centres of Excellence across six universities in the country.
He added: “Taken together, these interventions demonstrate the Nigerian oil and gas industry’s commitment to creating an integrated research ecosystem that connects academic expertise, modern research infrastructure, industry requirements, and commercialization opportunities.”
Ogbe underscored that, by supporting specialised professorial chairs in critical areas of industry operations, NLNG and NCDMB are creating opportunities to bridge the longstanding gap between academic research and industrial application.
He further charged the universities to deliberately transition from research for publication to research for application, and from innovation as an academic pursuit to innovation as a driver of industrial transformation.
According to him: “The beneficiary universities must see this endowment as both an opportunity and a responsibility and they would be expected to deliver clearly defined research objectives, measurable outcomes, prudent resource utilisation, effective stakeholder engagement, and sustained collaboration with industry partners.”
He further demanded that “these professorial chairs will generate commercially viable solutions, strengthen local technological capabilities, support industrial competitiveness, and contribute meaningfully to the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.”
Details of the endowment indicate that 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 the University of Abuja (Yakubu Gowon University) will focus on geoscience and satellite intelligence for resilient gas infrastructure.
Each university will work towards agreed research targets and commercialisation pathways, providing a framework for measuring progress and translating findings into practical applications. The institutions will also jointly host an information management hub to support knowledge sharing and exchange programmes.
The funding includes provision for minor civil works and infrastructure upgrades to transform identified spaces into fit-for-purpose research centres.
Proposed arrangements would enable industry professionals to contribute practical expertise in technical and non-technical disciplines while pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees. This would give students greater exposure to industry experience while strengthening the connection between postgraduate study and practical problem-solving.
The release said the programme reinforces NLNG’s commitment to developing Nigerian capability and creating opportunities for local expertise to address industry needs, guided by its recently approved ‘NextGen Nigerian Content Strategy’, where NLNG plans to sustain the gains through focused delivery of previous commitments in alignment with NCDMB; enable its business by facilitating deeper adoption of Nigerian Content Development as a business principle; and accelerate growth by showing up and supporting the Nigerian Content transformation for posterity, in line with its vision of inspiring a sustainable future.
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