ACU Don Secures International Research Grant to Combat Malnutrition in African Women, Children

A senior academic at Ajayi Crowther University, Prof. Afolake Olanbiwoninu, has secured a major international research grant aimed at addressing malnutrition and related health challenges affecting African women and children.

The research funding, awarded through a partnership between the Danida Fellowship Centre and the Technical University of Denmark’s National Food Institute, will support a five-year project focused on developing sustainable nutritional interventions using indigenous African food systems and beneficial microbes.

The project, titled “Triple-Duty Indigenous Synbiotics to Sustainably Alleviate Health and Nutrition Challenges for African Perinatal Women and Children Under Five (TRIPLE-SYNBIO)”, attracted funding valued at over 1.1 million Danish Kroner for the university.

The initiative is scheduled to run from April 2026 to March 2031 and will target perinatal women and children under the age of five, groups considered highly vulnerable to malnutrition, weakened immunity, and nutrition-related health complications across many African communities.

According to the university, the research will explore the use of locally sourced probiotics, food-based microbial solutions, and culturally adaptable nutritional strategies designed to improve maternal and child health outcomes in a sustainable manner.

Prof. Olanbiwoninu, a specialist in food microbiology and microbial biotechnology, will lead the project as Principal Investigator. The grant also includes funding for the training of a doctoral student, a move expected to strengthen the institution’s research and innovation capacity.

The latest achievement adds to a growing portfolio of international research successes recorded by the academic. In recent years, she co-secured a $10,000 grant from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and ECOWAS alongside Dr. Theresa Awotundun of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. She also facilitated the acquisition of a $2,000 AMI Summer Studentship Grant supporting undergraduate microbiology research projects.

Management of Ajayi Crowther University, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ebunoluwa Oduwole, described the development as a major institutional milestone and a reflection of the university’s expanding global research footprint.

The university noted that the grant further demonstrates its commitment to advancing science-driven solutions to Africa’s pressing public health and nutrition challenges through locally relevant and globally competitive research.