A delegation from Nile University paid a visit to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) on March 8th. The aim of the visit was to disclose Nile University’s willingness and ability to contribute to the ongoing fight against COVID-19— specifically, in the aspect of vaccine production. Addressing the Honorable Minister of the FMST, Ogbonnaya Onu, during the visit, the Vice-Chancellor of Nile University and leader of the University’s delegation, Prof. Osman Nuri Aras, stated Nile University’s readiness to collaborate with the FMST in the production of the COVID-19 vaccine as well as in the general battle against diseases posing a threat to the health of Nigeria’s citizens. He also provided the Honorable Minister with an update on Nile University’s ongoing collaboration with the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA)—one of the FMST’s three agencies—on the vaccine production project.
Responding to the Vice-Chancellor’s remarks, the Honorable Minister expressed the Ministry’s desire to partner with the country’s numerous research institutions and Universities in its quest to provide solutions to the country’s health-related and economic problems.
Other members of the Nile University team present at the meeting included Prof. Abdurrahman Isik (Deputy Vice-Chancellor), Prof. Moussa Mahamat Boukar (Dean, Faculty of Natural & Applied Sciences), Assoc. Prof. Sani Muhammed (HoD, Microbiology and Biotechnology), Prof. Taofik Sunmonu (HoD, Biochemistry). Also present at the meeting were the Honorable Minister of State, FMST (Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi) as well as the DG/CEO, NABDA (Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha).
