Summit University, Offa, Nigeria (SUN, Offa) in her quest to reach the top tier as a research-intensive Institution, has rigorously participated in numerous grant writing opportunities. This effort has recently paid off as its research group, the Advanced Science Research Group (IASRG) in collaboration with Dr Cynthia Kusin Okoro-Shekwaga won the International Academic Pump-priming Fund by the School of Civil Engineering University of Leeds, to explore opportunities in biomethane production for clean cooking using locally-available organic waste resources in Nigeria.

Speaking at the virtual kick-off meeting on February 23rd, 2023, the Vice-Chancellor of Summit University, Offa, Professor Abiodun Musa Aibinu, expressed his excitement at the prospect of the research grant and welcomed the partnership with appreciation to the University of Leeds for extending their arm of collaboration towards SUN, Offa through the School of Civil Engineering International Academic Pump-priming Fund. He assured the Principal Investigator, Dr. Okoro-Shekwaga, of Summit University's resolve to seize the rare opportunity provided to surpass the expected outcome of the project. This, he believes, will not only elevate the leading England-based Institution's confidence in Summit University but will also create a larger room for more exciting collaborations.

Similarly, Dr Okoro-Shekwaga expressed her excitement at collaborating with Summit University, Offa. The excitement, she said, emanated from the consistent online presence of the Institution, which has been drawing attention from both local and international-based academics of educational and research institutions. She singled out the update she gets on Summit University from its LinkedIn page as one of the major factors that encouraged her to initiate the invitation.

Dr Okoro-Shekwaga who is also currently leading a similar study for Uganda (East Africa) and Brazil (South America) through the Worldwide Universities Network Research Development Fund, expressed her optimism in making fruitful explorations in the areas of energy production from organic waste and envisaged more collaborative research activities with Summit University, Offa in the nearest future. Afterwards, she took the team through the steps required for the successful execution of the project.

Also, the lead researcher of the project at Summit University, Dr. Usman Okeme of the Department of Chemical Sciences expressed his sincere appreciation to Dr Okoro-Shekwaga, sharing his delight at the progressive attainment of the Institution's vision under the leadership of the amiable Professor Abiodun Musa Aibinu, in the area of local and international research collaborations. He further assured her of the team’s determination to execute the project and create more room for advanced research collaborations in the future.

In her remarks, the Co-ordinator of Summit University’s Research and Innovation Unit (RIU), Mrs Mutiat Mohammed extended her gratitude to Dr Okoro-Shekwaga, stating that the grant will facilitate the development of research that borders on converting waste to wealth and providing alternative energy sources for cooking. Other members of the staff of Summit University present at the kick-off ceremony were Mrs Ganiyat Afolabi of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences who is also the University’s lead researcher for the ongoing AI4FS project, a grant sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the United Kingdom, Mr Uthman Umar Farouk, Mr Najeeb Oloyede, Mrs Azeezat Aiwinilomo, Mr Ibrahim Salawu and Mr Olatunde Yusuf.