Four FUOYE Academics Win N89.96m FG Research Grants for AI, Healthcare, Education, Employment Studies

Four academics at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) have secured a combined N89.964 million in National Research Fund (NRF) grants from the Federal Government to undertake research projects focused on unemployment, artificial intelligence in education, pharmaceutical innovation and healthcare solutions.

The Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, announced the achievement in a statement issued on Monday, describing it as another milestone in the university's growing reputation for research excellence.

According to the statement, the four scholars emerged successful in the highly competitive National Research Fund grant selection process, earning funding for projects designed to address some of Nigeria's most pressing socio-economic and public health challenges.

Leading the list of beneficiaries is Prof. Omotosho Joshua, who received N19.964 million for his research titled "Towards Addressing Unemployment Situation in Nigerian Formal Labour Market."

Also successful is Dr. Adeniyi Florence, a Reader in the Department of Educational Management, who secured N20 million for a study titled "From Chalkboards to Intelligent Systems: Comparative Analysis of Traditional and AI-Driven Teaching in Nigerian Federal Universities for Global Competitiveness."

In the area of pharmaceutical and biomedical research, Dr. Ojo Kayode, a Reader in the Department of Microbiology, was awarded N21 million to develop innovative cosmetic formulations using fungal melanin for hair growth enhancement, follicle preservation and dandruff management.

Similarly, Dr. Adeleye Ademola, a Reader in the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, secured N29 million for his research project, "Combating Diabetic Wounds Using Natural Remedy with Ethosomal Hydrogel Topical Delivery."

Congratulating the researchers, Ogunwole described the grants as a strong endorsement of the quality of scholarship and research culture at FUOYE.

"The grants are evidence of the quality of scholarship in the university. Our management is committed to creating an enabling environment for cutting-edge research, innovation and academic excellence," the Vice-Chancellor said.

He noted that the latest achievement further strengthens FUOYE's status as a research-driven institution committed to producing innovative solutions to national and global challenges.

According to Ogunwole, the funded projects are expected to deliver practical interventions in employment generation, education technology, pharmaceutical development and healthcare while enhancing the university's international research profile.