DEADLINE: 28TH DECEMBER, 2021
TERTIARY EDUCATION TRUST FUND (TETFUND)
NO. 6, ZAMBEZI CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA,
PMB 361, ABUJA, NIGERIA.
+234-07098818818, 07098818817, 07098211222-3
info@tetfund.gov.ng
www.tetfund.gov.ng
TETFUND NATIONAL RESEARCH FUND (NRF) 2021 GRANT CYCLE: CALL FOR CONCEPT NOTES
INTRODUCTION
Following the successful completion of the processing of the Research Proposals submitted to NRF under the 2020 Grant Cycle, culminating in the total award of close to N6.4 billion to support 217 research projects, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) wishes to inform the Nigerian Research community, in particular, and the public in general, that the Federal Government has approved a total sum of N8.5 billion for the current 2021 Grant Cycle. The process of accessing the 2021 NRF grant involves the response to this Call-for-Concept-Notes by the Principal Investigators of the proposed Research Projects, to be followed by the submission of Full Proposals by only those whose Concept Notes have been evaluated and the Research Projects are considered fundable.
THEMATIC AREAS FOR THE 2021 GRANT APPLICATION
The twenty eight prioritized thematic areas of Research are in three categories: Humanities & Social Sciences, Science, Engineering, Technology & Innovation and Cross-Cutting.
| Category 1 | Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Thematic Area 1 | National Integration, Conflict, Defence and Security |
| Thematic Area 2 | Education and Human Capital |
| Thematic Area 3 | Economic Development and Globalization |
| Thematic Area 4 | History, Culture and Identities |
| Thematic Area 5 | Languages, Literatures and Media |
| Thematic Area 6 | Social Development and Welfare |
| Thematic Area 7 | Population and Migration |
| Thematic Area 8 | Governance, Politics, law and Ethics |
| Thematic Area 9 | Tourism, Sports and Recreation |
| Thematic Area 10 | Gender. Equity and Social Inclusion |
| Thematic Area 11 | Humanities. Social Sciences, Technology and Business Interface |
| Category 2 | Science, Engineering, Technology and innovation |
| Thematic Area 12 | Agriculture and Food Security |
| Thematic Area 13 | Health and Social Welfare |
| Thematic Area 14 | Transport |
| Thematic Area 15 | Power and Energy |
| Thematic Area 16 | IT, Computing & Telecommunications |
| Thematic Area 17 | Space Science and Technology’ |
| Thematic Area 18 | Geosciences |
| Thematic Area 19 | Science and Engineering |
| Thematic Area 20 | Water & Sanitation |
| Thematic Area 21 | Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure |
| Thematic Area 22 | Sustainable use of Natural Resources and Terrestrial Ecosystems |
| Category 3 | Cross-Cutting |
| Thematic Area 23 | Entrepreneurship & Wealth Creation |
| Thematic Area 24 | Environment, Housing & Urban and Regional Development |
| Thematic Area 25 | Resource Governance |
| Thematic Area 26 | Science, Technology and Innovation System Management |
| Thematic Area 27 | Blue Economy |
| Thematic Area 28 | Clean and Affordable Energy |
ELIGIBILITY
Lecturers in any of our Public Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria are eligible. Multi-Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Research Projects, comprising Researchers from various disciplines, are most highly encouraged. The Principal Investigator (PI), who must preferably be at least a Senior Lecturer in a University, Chief Lecturer in a Polytechnic or College of Education, will lead the Research Team and be personally responsible and held accountable for the conduct of the research. An added requirement is that the PI must be institution based, with the Pi’s institution regarded as the Coordinating Institution. However, in line with the approval of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of TETFund, additional members of the Research team can be drawn from Researchers in Private Tertiary Institutions, Research Institutes, Centres of Excellence and the Industry. This is consistent with the global best practice of involving non-governmental organizations and other non-state actors in Research Projects that are to address national needs.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
The process of application is entirely on an online platform. The Principal Investigator is expected to visit nrf.tetfund.gov.ng where he or she will be closely guided on the preparation and final submission of the Concept Note.
All the submitted Concept Notes will be evaluated by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS & MC). The PIs of the successful Concept Notes will be communicated to proceed to the preparation of the Full Proposals which will also be processed online. The PI and, at least a member of the Research Team of an adjudged fundable proposal, shall be invited to defend their proposal before the NRFS & MC. Thereafter, the successful proposals for grant awards will be presented to the Board of Trustees of TETFund for approval.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF CONCEPT NOTES
The Portal will be opened for the submission of Concept Notes from November 29, 2021 and the deadline for submission of concept notes shall be on or before December 28, 2021.
For enquiries, please contact the TETFund NRF Secretarial using the following email addresses iamkundirif@yahoo.com, labichi1955@yahoo.com, foegbokhare@yahoo.com, gaderoun@yahoo.com, fagbohun@elri-ng.org, salihugb@tetfund.gov.ng, odoju@tetfund.gov.ngbashirgaladanci@yahoo.com and abdullahih@tetfund.gov.ng
This publication can also be viewed on TETFund website www.tetfund.gov.ng
SIGNED
PROFESSOR SULEIMAN BOGORO (FAS)
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
