UNILAG Don Seeks Shift to Impact-Driven Doctoral Research to Accelerate Nigeria’s Development
Funmi Ogundare
A Professor of Welding Process Analysis and Surface Modification in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Director of the institution’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre, Prof. Mohammed Amuda, Monday, called for a fundamental shift in doctoral research across Africa, urging universities to prioritise community-driven and impact-oriented studies capable of influencing public policy, driving innovation and accelerating economic development.
Speaking during the AFRETEC UNILAG Doctoral Academy 2.0, Amuda explained that the programme was designed to produce a new generation of researchers whose work would move beyond academic theses to tangible products, services and policy solutions that address Africa’s development challenges.
According to him, the academy is part of the knowledge creation pillar of the Africa Centre of Excellence initiative under AFRETEC, a consortium of 10 engineering-intensive universities across the continent working to strengthen research capacity and support the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
