The Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) has secured a €117,000 grant (about ₦200 million) from the European Union to drive innovation in food security through a solar-powered aquaponics system.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the institution’s spokesperson, Mr. Adekunle Adams, the project—titled Integrated Aquaponics System for Sustainable Catfish Production and Dual-Crop Cultivation of Leafy Vegetables and Corn (AQUACLEC)—will combine catfish farming with vegetable and maize cultivation.
The initiative is being coordinated by Dr. Funmilayo Doherty, Director of the Centre for Research Support and Grants Management at Yabatech, with technical expertise from the University of Lagos, University of Turku, and University of Lapland.
Adams said the funding, obtained under the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, would support the establishment of a local innovation hub in Lagos, testing and replication of the system, and promotion of sustainable agriculture and community-based food resilience.
He quoted Dr. Doherty as attributing the success to the college’s commitment to aligning research with national and global challenges under the leadership of its Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul.
“The present administration has consistently supported research proposals and international collaborations that extend beyond the classroom, reinforcing Yabatech’s image as a hub of innovation and social impact,” Doherty said.
The project is designed to be replicable and scalable across Nigeria and West Africa, leveraging Yabatech’s pool of over 200 PhD-qualified lecturers for research, training, and policy engagement.
This latest achievement follows Yabatech’s success under the National Youth Employment Skills Acquisition Framework (NYESAF), which recently trained 200 Nigerian youths in digital and creative media skills.
Adams noted that both the EU grant and the NYESAF programme highlight Yabatech’s dual role as a centre of academic excellence and a driver of national development, bridging technical education with real-world needs.