Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) has received a €117,000 (approximately N200 million) grant from the European Union to develop a solar-powered integrated aquaponics system that combines catfish production with vegetable and maize cultivation.
The project, titled Integrated Aquaponics System for Sustainable Catfish Production and Dual-Crop Cultivation of Leafy Vegetables and Corn (AQUACLEC), is being coordinated by Dr. Funmilayo Doherty, Director of Yabatech’s Centre for Research Support and Grants Management. The initiative also involves collaboration with the University of Lagos, University of Turku, and University of Lapland.
According to the college, the project will establish a local innovation hub in Lagos to test and replicate the system, promote sustainable agriculture, and strengthen community-based food resilience. Doherty noted that the grant underscores Yabatech’s commitment to aligning research with pressing national and global challenges under the leadership of Rector Dr. Ibraheem Abdul.
She emphasized that the aquaponics system is designed to be replicable and scalable across Nigeria and West Africa, supported by Yabatech’s pool of more than 200 PhD-qualified lecturers engaged in research, training, and policy development.
This milestone follows Yabatech’s recent achievement under the National Youth Employment Skills Acquisition Framework (NYESAF), where 200 young Nigerians were trained in digital and creative media. Together, these initiatives reinforce Yabatech’s role as both a hub of innovation and a driver of national development.