Microbiology Dept. receives N100m materials to boost research on infectious disease
By Mustafa Abubakar
The Department of Microbiology, University of Ilorin, has received scientific consignment valued at €59,846.02 (approximately ₦100 million) for the xSTAR Project Nigeria. It also includes state-of-the-art laboratory equipment such as the Luminex MAGPIX® System, ultrasonic bath, microplate shakers, and other advanced instruments.
This was disclosed by the Principal Investigator of the xSTAR Project Nigeria and Team Lead of the Infectious Disease and Environmental Health Research Group, Prof. Olatunji Mathew Kolawole.
Speaking with UNILORIN Bulletin last Thursday (January 29, 2026), Prof. Kolawole expressed gratitude to God and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, for creating an enabling environment for research, describing the grant as “one of the most significant research awards in Nigeria.”
The Principal Investigator also thanked collaborators from the Imperial College, London, and the Wellcome Trust for enabling the University to host a fully funded Ph.D. student, valued at £10,800 (₦19 million), calling it “outstanding and the first of its kind.”
Prof. Kolawole said that the grant provides next-generation equipment for molecular research and methodological investigations, including instruments unique in Nigeria for virus detection for early outbreak response.
According to him, the Department of Microbiology will conduct studies in collaboration with 14 other African nations and UK institutions, strengthening the University’s capacity for outbreak response and infectious disease surveillance.
“This is a big win not just for the University but also for Kwara State and Nigeria,” Prof. Kolawole said.
“The equipment and grant will support national surveillance, and the University of Ilorin will serve as a gateway for pandemic investigation and response. The grant also enables us to pilot an Infectious Disease Modelling Laboratory at the Department of Microbiology, to be pioneered by the fully funded Ph.D. student, further strengthening our research profile,” he added.
While appreciating the gesture, the Head of the Department of Microbiology, Prof. Ismaila Olawale Sule, described the development as “very great and honourable,” expressing appreciation to Prof. Kolawole for bringing the programme to the Department during his tenure.
He noted that students from the Department and other allied faculties will also benefit from the project.
He added, “We are grateful to the founders of the project, Wellcome Trust, in collaboration with Imperial College London and the University of Ilorin, for giving us the right support from inception. The partnerships with institutions in France, Senegal, and other African nations are also commendable.”
The consignment and associated Ph.D. programme mark a significant advancement in infectious disease research in Nigeria, positioning the University of Ilorin as a leading hub for virology, public health, and biomedical research in the country.
