150 Innovative University Academic Projects to Receive N20m Grooming Centre Research Grant

A total of 150 innovative university academic projects, including both undergraduate and postgraduate research initiatives, will be funded with a total of N20 million under the 2026 Grooming Centre University research grant. At the launch of the grant application process in Lagos, Chimfurumnaya Chukwuekem, Assistant Manager of Research and Development at CREM, emphasized that the Grooming Centre University Grant Scheme is open to applicants of all ages, genders, religions, and ethnicities.

This year, the funding will support 100 undergraduate students and 50 postgraduate students, bringing the cumulative number of beneficiaries since the scheme's inception in 2019 to 659.

The application window for the 2026 Grooming Centre University Grant Scheme opened on August 31 and will close on October 23, 2026. In addition to the specific focus areas mentioned earlier, the evaluation criteria for all submissions include the student's status as a final-year undergraduate or postgraduate candidate at a Nigerian tertiary institution, the relevance of the research project to topics such as financial inclusion, microfinance, rural development, social enterprise, MSMEs, technological development, digital innovation in finance, youth development, women's empowerment, or any other initiative aimed at alleviating poverty.

The research proposal must be highly original, demonstrate imaginative thought, be data-driven, and be practical and innovative, ultimately capable of contributing positively to the Nigerian context. The Chief Operating Officer of CREM Consulting, Clifford Onyeike, emphasized that selected applicants must submit their final project to the center upon selection.