csrreporters 
Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos, has secured a €117,000 (over ₦200 million) research grant from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme to advance innovation in food security.
The project, titled “Integrated Aquaponics System for Sustainable Catfish Production and Dual Crop Cultivation of Leafy Vegetables and Corn,” will pilot a solar-powered aquaponics model that combines catfish farming with vegetable and maize production.
Led by Dr. Funmilayo Doherty, Director of Research Support and Grants Management, in collaboration with the Yabatech Agric Cooperative Society, the initiative will establish a Local Innovation Hub in Lagos to test, adapt, and replicate the system. According to Doherty, the pilot will demonstrate how renewable energy and integrated farming can reduce production costs, enhance productivity, and strengthen household nutrition, with participants serving as early adopters of the scalable model.
The project benefits from technical collaboration with researchers from the University of Lagos, the University of Turku (Finland), and the University of Lapland (Finland). Doherty stressed that the initiative reflects Yabatech’s commitment to tackling pressing national and global challenges through research-driven, practical solutions.
“With over 200 PhD-qualified lecturers, Yabatech is well-positioned to sustain and expand projects like this through rigorous research, training, and policy engagement,” she noted.
This milestone follows Yabatech’s recent success in securing funding under the World Bank–supported National Youth Employment Skills Acquisition Framework, which supports the training of 200 young Nigerians in digital and creative media.
Doherty emphasised that the dual grants highlight Yabatech’s role as both a hub of academic excellence and a driver of national development, blending education with entrepreneurship and real-world impact.
Other members of the AQUACLEC research team include Dr. Olufunke Oyebamiji, Dr. Olusola Dada, Mrs. Henrietta Badejo, Mr. Abdulwakeel Oluwatobi Atoyebi, Mr. Olufunmi Dada, Dr. Akin Olaleru, Mrs. Adeola Oke, Mr. Aguh Anthony, and Mrs. Rebecca Martin, working alongside Dr. Idowu Aneyo of UNILAG, Dr. Moammar Dayoub of the University of Turku, and Dr. Dele Raheem of the University of Lapland.