LASU Zoology Lecturer, Dr. Babalola, Receives $250,000 Research Grant for Prototype Development
Dr. Olusegun O. Babalola, a senior lecturer in the Department of Zoology at Lagos State University (LASU), has been awarded a $250,000 grant by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI).
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
Dr. Olusegun O. Babalola, a senior lecturer in the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science at Lagos State University (LASU), has been awarded a $250,000 grant by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI). He is one of 18 Nigerian academics selected to develop prototype projects into commercially viable products through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)’s Research for Impact Initiative (R4I).
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The selected academics, divided into four groups, were hosted at Innov8, an innovation hub in Abuja, to develop four prototypes:
- Development of Technology to Mitigate the Effect of Drought in Desert Areas of Northern Nigeria
- Development of Automated Garri Frying Technology (Jollyfryer)
- Creation of Biosensor Device for Water Purification Using Solar Energy
- AirVolt: Affordable Access to Electricity with Vertical Axis Wind Turbines
Dr. Babalola’s team is focused on creating a Water Purification System with a Biosensor using Solar Energy. His team includes Prof. Nwaugo Victor (Abia State University), Prof. Chiaghanam Osita (Rivers State University), and Dr. Usman Wasiri (Bauchi State University). Each group received a grant of $50,000 (approximately N60 million) to execute their research proposals.
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The SGCI is a multi-funded initiative aimed at strengthening the capacities of 17 Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing significantly to national research and innovation ecosystems.
Dr. Babalola expressed gratitude to LASU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, for nominating him for the TETFUND Scientific and Innovative Research Workshop in 2023. He credited the workshop for providing the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from other institutions, leading to the successful grant proposal.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Olatunji-Bello congratulated Dr. Babalola on his achievement, commending him for bringing pride to LASU.
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