The Federal Government has launched the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Alliance and a detailed Compendium highlighting the major achievements and impacts of the ACE Project.
Speaking at the event in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the launch as a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s commitment to academic excellence and sustainable development. He said the initiative represents the government’s dedication to strengthening innovation, collaboration, and global competitiveness in higher education.
According to Alausa, the ACE Alliance unites all 20 Africa Centres of Excellence established in Nigeria, including three that exited during the transition to ACE Impact, into one strategic network for collaboration, shared learning, and global engagement. “It is a timely initiative that consolidates the gains of the ACE Project, enhances visibility, and amplifies the voices of our Centres on the global stage,” he said.
He praised the ACE Project, which is funded by the World Bank and the Agence Française de Dévelopement (AFD) in collaboration with the Federal Government, describing it as a major success aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Alausa noted that the project demonstrated how “strategic partnerships can drive sustainable growth” and strengthened Nigeria’s leadership position in higher education and research across Africa.
“The ACEs are helping to shape the skilled workforce and knowledge base our nation needs to compete in a dynamic global economy,” he stated.
Alausa also revealed that the Ministry of Education had endorsed the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) proposal to engage additional development partners to support the Blueprint for the Rapid Revitalisation of University Education. He commended the Centres for attracting international students and faculty, promoting regional collaboration, and positioning Nigeria as a continental hub for quality postgraduate education and innovation.
He added that “the ACE Project has positioned Nigeria not only as a consumer but also as a provider of high-quality transnational education.”
The National Project Coordinator of the ACE Project, Dr Joshua Atah, in his remarks, traced the beginning of the ACE Project to August 2012 when discussions first started with the then NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie. He explained that the project was officially launched in 2014 with a focus on strengthening postgraduate education and driving research to address Africa’s most pressing challenges in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), agriculture, and health.
Atah said under the first phase, known as ACE 1, ten Nigerian universities were selected to host Centres of Excellence, the highest number among all participating countries. Building on that success, the ACE Impact project was introduced in 2019 with joint support from the World Bank and AFD, expanding to 53 Centres across 11 African countries, with Nigeria hosting 17 of them.
“These Centres have evolved into engines of innovation and excellence,” Atah said. He disclosed that the Centres had collectively attracted over $145 million through performance-based disbursements and mobilised additional funds exceeding N3.9 billion, $46 million, €1.78 million, and £2.6 million from diverse sources. He noted that these funds were reinvested into research, infrastructure, and capacity building.
Over the past decade, more than 45,000 students, including participants from over 15 African countries, have been trained through the Centres. This, he said, has strengthened regional cooperation and positioned Nigerian universities as continental leaders in postgraduate education.
“The Centres have also produced over 6,600 graduates, including 1,596 PhDs, with faculty and students publishing over 4,200 scientific papers in reputable journals,” Atah said.
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, noted that the Centres’ research outputs had led to patents, policy innovations, and market-ready solutions. He added that the Centres had also attracted regional students and faculty from across Africa while strengthening cross-border collaboration and academic mobility.
Each Centre, he said, tells a story of possibility—from breakthroughs in public health, renewable energy, and digital innovation to advances in pedagogy, maternal health, and herbal medicine regulation. “The newly unveiled Compendium on Key Achievements and Impacts of the ACEs serves as a historic record of these accomplishments. Spanning four volumes, the publication captures the depth of the project’s outcomes,” Ribadu stated.
The World Bank Manager of Education for Western and Central Africa, Scherezad Latif, commended Nigeria’s leadership in higher education and regional development. She said the programme’s success showed how Africa could build for Africa, turning knowledge into real solutions that strengthen communities and drive economic transformation.
Latif also announced plans for ACE Innovate, a new initiative designed to equip African youth with advanced skills, entrepreneurial capacity, and job readiness in key economic sectors. She encouraged universities to deepen collaboration with industries, align academic programmes with labour market needs, and continue promoting innovation.
She reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to supporting education, skills development, and job creation across Africa, calling the ACE Alliance “a model for sustainable, country-led growth.”
The ACE Compendium, a four-volume documentation, captured the journey and measurable outcomes of the Centres. Volume One highlights the Centres’ achievements and innovations, Volume Two catalogues over 4,000 research publications, Volume Three profiles the researchers driving these results, and Volume Four details the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.
