ABU Appoints High-Level Committee to Lead World Bank ACE Innovate Project Proposal

Ahmadu Bello University has set up a technical committee on World Bank ACE Innovate Project Proposal with Prof Raymond B Bako as Chairman of the committee. 

The seven-member high-level technical committee is to provide technical oversight, coordination, and quality assurance throughout the proposal development process. 

Specifically, the committee is to review and identify the ACE Innovate priority economic and enabling sectors that the university has competitive advantage. 

It is also expected to provide technical input and support to proposal writing teams to ensure quality and consistency by reviewing and providing feedback on draft proposals. 

The committee is further mandated to ensure alignment of proposals with organizational goals, World Bank requirements and best practices through identification and interpretation of World Bank guidelines. 

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, approved the committee constitution in a letter to the chairman of the committee dated Wednesday, 18th February, 2026. 

He explained that the assignment is essentially to ensure that the university submits a competitive proposal for the ACE Innovate project. 

Ahmed said the World Bank, building on the success of the ACE Impact Project, proposed a follow-up project - Africa Centres of Excellence for Innovation and Economic Growth (ACE Innovate). 

This is after the World Bank held consultations with relevant stakeholders at the national level towards fine-tuning the ACE Innovate concept and the eventual request for proposal call. 

The new project aims to produce more skilled graduates and applied research as well as innovation and technology transfer in key priority economic regional sectors. 

Such sectors, according to the Vice-Chancellor, include agribusiness, energy, healthcare, tourism, value-added manufacturing, and digital technology. 

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof Raymond B Bako, is to lead the high-level technical committee. 

The Centre Leader, ACENTDFB, Prof YKE Ibrahim; and Centre Leader, SPESSE, Prof Wisdom Japheth, are members of the committee. 

Others are Prof Junaid Kabir, ACENTDFB; Prof Fatai O Anafi, Director, TETFund Centre on Pedagogy (TeCEP); Prof M I Umar-Buratai, Director, DUAIE; and Prof Maryam Aminu, Dean of Life Sciences.