Yabatech Wins €117,000 EU Grant for Solar-Powered Aquaponics Project to Boost Food Security

Lagos, Nigeria – The Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) has secured a €117,000 (about ?200 million) research grant from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme to develop a solar-powered integrated aquaponics system that combines catfish production with vegetable and maize farming.

The groundbreaking initiative, titled Integrated Aquaponics System for Sustainable Catfish Production and Dual-Crop Cultivation of Leafy Vegetables and Corn (AQUACLEC), will be coordinated by Dr. Funmilayo Doherty, Director of the Centre for Research Support and Grants Management at Yabatech. The project brings together technical expertise from the University of Lagos, University of Turku (Finland), and University of Lapland (Finland).

Driving Food Security Through Innovation

According to the institution’s spokesman, Mr. Adekunle Adams, the project is aimed at advancing food security by creating a sustainable, solar-powered aquaponics model that integrates fish farming with crop cultivation.

“Yabatech has recorded another major breakthrough in research and innovation after securing a grant of €117,000, equivalent to over ?200 million, from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme,” Adams said.

He added that the funding would support the establishment of a local innovation hub in Lagos, facilitate the testing and replication of the aquaponics model, and promote community-based food resilience.

Aligning Research with Global Challenges

Adams further disclosed that Dr. Doherty attributed the milestone to Yabatech’s commitment to aligning research with national and global priorities under the leadership of Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, the Rector of Yabatech.

Dr. Doherty emphasized that the college is deliberately bridging the gap between technical education and real-world challenges, preparing Nigerian youths to thrive in both local and international arenas.

“The present administration of the college 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,” Adams noted.

Scalable and Replicable Model

The project is designed to be scalable across Nigeria and West Africa, leveraging Yabatech’s academic strength, including its pool of over 200 PhD-qualified lecturers, for research, training, and policy engagement.

This achievement comes shortly after Yabatech secured another win under the National Youth Employment Skills Acquisition Framework (NYESAF), where the college trained 200 young Nigerians in digital and creative media skills.

With the EU grant and NYESAF initiative, Yabatech is solidifying its dual role as a centre of academic excellence and a driver of national development, ensuring that technical education translates into tangible solutions for society.