ABU Research Director, Prof J J Maina, highlights best practices for grant writing
The Director, Directorate of Research and Innovation, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof J J Maina, has highlighted the best practices for grant attraction.
Prof Maina, who was a guest lecturer at the 1st Faculty Day and 8th Anniversary of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, emphasised that grant writing required persistence and perseverance.
The event took place inside the Red Seat Lecture Hall, Clinical Skills Laboratory, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria on Tuesday, 28th October, 2025.
Maina, who spoke on ‘From Silos to Synergy: Enhancing Research Impact through Multidisciplinary Collaboration’, also said grants were “not about you but about the funder’s objectives”.
Prof Maina further explained that in writing for grant one should understand each grant requirement and know the applicability of the expertise.
She also stressed for collaboration and networking in addition to actively searching and looking out for grant calls and notices.
A grant writer, according to Prof Maina, must mind deadlines as “last minute.com rarely works”.
Maina, who said a grant writer should understand grantor’s aim or goal, also empathised that grant seeker should write persuasively what the world would lose if his or her proposal was not funded.
Additionally, Prof Maina spoke on the need for synergy and collaboration to solve real world problems.
She said real world problems were rarely neatly resolved using a single perspective or viewpoint as they frequently involved multidisciplinary collaboration.
Maina also said grantor perspective had to do with investment for a just or worthy cause and a tool to indicate primary interest.
She said in the case of personal funders, grants were a means of pursuing cherished dreams which benefactors were unlikely in a position to accomplish on their own.
A number of personalities, including the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, and the Dean, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Prof Abdulaziz Hassan, spoke at the occasion, which was chaired by the former Provost, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof M S Shehu.
The Vice-Chancellor was ably represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof Bello Sabo.
Equally, the Provost, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof Ismail L Dahiru, and the Chief Medical Director, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Prof Ahmed U Hamidu, spoke.
Highpoints of the event included unveiling of ‘Annals of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine’, an official journal of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, and a brief tour of Genomics and Infectious Diseases Laboratory by invited guests.
……………………………………..
Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria (NAM)
Thursday, 30th October, 2025
