Gov. Buni unveils multi-billion-naira research centre, awards ₦30 million to Yobe teen champions
Story by Sa’adatu MAINA, Damaturu
In a landmark event celebrating both academic excellence and scientific ambition, Governor Mai Mala Buni has on Thursday officially inaugurated the permanent site of the Yobe State University (YSU) Biomedical Research and Training Centre (BioRTC).
The inauguration ceremony on doubled as a celebration for three Yobe indigenes Nafisa Abdullahi, Hadiza Kashim Kalli, and Rukaiya Mohamed Fema who recently defeated 20,000 contestants from 69 countries to win the prestigious TeenEagle 2025 World Championship in London.
In a surprise announcement, Governor Buni awarded each of the three champions a full government scholarship to cover their education up to the tertiary level, coupled with a personal donation of ₦10 million each.
“You have made Yobe and Nigeria proud on the global stage. This is our investment in your future and a signal to every young person in our state that excellence is recognised and rewarded,” Governor Buni stated.
Governor Buni hailed the research centre as a landmark investment designed to pivot Africa towards solving its own health challenges.
“The BioRTC is conceived to address Africa’s unique health burdens by developing home grown solutions, moving us away from dependency on foreign research models that often do not align with our realities,” the governor explained.
He revealed the state government’s investment of over ₦800 million in constructing the centre’s permanent site.
This infrastructure received a monumental boost from a ₦10 billion equipment donation by renowned neurobiologist, Professor Mahmoud Bukar Maina.
Looking beyond the state, Governor Buni made two significant appeals to the Federal Government for the establishment of a National Kidney Disease Centre in Yobe State to combat a prevalent scourge in the region.
Furthermore, he urged the Federal Ministry of Health to formally partner with the BioRTC to adopt and deploy its low-cost diagnostic innovations for nationwide use.
Linking the events, Governor Buni reiterated his administration’s sweeping commitment to education.
He cited an annual expenditure exceeding ₦13.5 billion on scholarships, examination fees, and school feeding programmes, while reaffirming that basic and secondary education remain free for all children in the state.
“From rewarding our brilliant young minds today to building this centre of excellence, our mission is clear: to cultivate knowledge, solve our pressing problems, and place Yobe and Nigeria on the global map of innovation and research,” Governor Buni concluded.
The BioRTC is now positioned as Yobe State’s flagship research institution, aiming to bridge the gap between local health issues and globally significant scientific breakthroughs.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp:
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
