The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Foluso Afolabi Lesi has re-affirmed the University’s strong research profile, revealing that UNILAG scholars have produced over two thousand (2,000) peer-reviewed publications annually over the past five years.
He also disclosed that within the same five-year period, the University attracted more than one hundred and twenty (120) nationally and internationally funded research projects spanning health, climate change, digital transformation, pharmaceutics, and inclusive education.
Professor Lesi made this known, while representing the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS at the opening session of a hands-on workshop on Horizon Europe Africa Initiative IV and Global Health EDCTP3. The workshop was hosted by the University on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre (AMDRC).
According to him, in 2024 alone, UNILAG facilitated over thirty (30) successful student mobility and staff exchange programmes, milestones which reinforce the institution’s standing as a leading research-intensive university in West Africa.
Acknowledging the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other notable funding bodies, Professor Lesi stated that UNILAG has significantly advanced its clinical research capacity and made impactful contributions in infectious diseases, maternal and antenatal care, and public health resilience.
While reiterating UNILAG’s commitment to the Horizon Europe programme, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services) designated the workshop as a strategic platform for knowledge exchange, trust-building, and the strengthening of sustainable partnerships. He described it as demonstration of “our vision to elevate UNILAG into a hub of research excellence that not only responds to Africa’s challenges but also contributes meaningfully to global scientific progress.”
The opening session also featured goodwill messages from the Head of Unit, International Cooperation, Mrs. Nienke Buisman; Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation, Abuja, Mr. Massimo De Luca; and Policy Officer, EU–Nigeria Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation, European Commission, Dr. Vincenzo Lorusso.
The speakers commended UNILAG’s achievements in research, innovation, and internationalisation, noting that the University remains a credible partner in fostering multidisciplinary and cross-border research collaborations across Africa.
Following the opening ceremony, participants proceeded to intensive training sessions, where facilitators provided detailed breakdowns of the clusters under the Horizon Europe Africa Initiative IV framework.
In his closing remarks, the Director of the Research Management Office (RMO), Professor Solomon Okunuga, described the workshop as an eye-opening, train-the-trainer initiative designed to strengthen participants’ capacity in research proposal development and enhance their competitiveness in securing grants under the Horizon Europe Africa Initiative IV and other international funding streams.
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photograph: Ayo Oloyede
