ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Federal University of Transportation, Daura (FUTD), has launched a Trans-Saharan route and trade research initiative, with a project team set up by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Umar Adam-Katsayal.
The 10-member team will be headed by Principal Investigator, Prof. Yakubu Ocheifu-Aboki, who previously served as Secretary General of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
Speaking at the inauguration in Daura on Tuesday, Adam-Katsayal explained that the initiative is designed to define key research directions for the institution.
He noted that the team is tasked with developing a comprehensive framework to guide research into the historical dynamics of Trans-Saharan trade and its relevance to modern African development.
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The vice chancellor urged members to work swiftly to meet project timelines, stressing that their selection was based on their extensive expertise and experience.
He added that the team would collaborate with researchers from Nigeria, across West Africa, and other Pan-African institutions to address four major research questions through fieldwork, joint presentations, panel sessions, and working group engagements.
“It will also form the basis for the research to be carried out in respect of the transportation focus of the institution,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the team, Ocheifu-Aboki expressed appreciation to the vice chancellor and the university’s management for the trust placed in them.
He assured that the team would carry out its responsibilities diligently and deliver on its mandate.