The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, ASR Africa, as part of its first cohort of Tertiary Education Grants Scheme, has provided an N1billion grant to the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.
 The fund is expected to be utilised towards the development of a Centre for Innovation and Product Development at the UNIMAID Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development, UM-CEED, Complex.
This was announced during the presentation of the grant award by ASR Africa to the University management in Maiduguri.
Speaking at the presentation, Aliyu Idi-Hong, representing the Chairman of ASR Africa and BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said that the ASR Africa Initiative had already begun the disbursement of its tertiary education grants to the 6 universities in its first cohort.
According to him, the University is the third to benefit after Ahmadu Bello University, and University of Ibadan.
He further disclosed that the project initiation process and development of mutual accountability frameworks to guide the grant usage for the University’s Centre for Innovation and Product Development will commence immediately.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba commended the Founder of the Initiative for his consistent commitment to social good and philanthropy.
The vice-chancellor also extolled the good works ASR Africa is doing in various communities across Africa and thanked the philanthropist for the grant.
He furthermore reassured the representatives that the University Management, Staff and Students will forever be grateful to ASR Africa for this gesture.
