Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State has received Fifty Thousand Euros (€50, 000) from the French Government to combat plastic pollution in order to promote safer environment on campus.
The University is one of the five institutions in Nigeria selected by the French Government as beneficiaries of their Plastic Management Project worth €753, 000 to help universities across Nigeria develop innovative, adaptive and sustainable project ideas addressing plastic pollution, which has become a major source of environmental pollution in the country.
Head of Cooperation and Cultural Affairs, French Embassy, Thierry Valentin (3rd R) in a group photograph with representatives of the institutions including that of AE-FUNAI, Prof. Romanus Ejiaga (1st R) displaying their awards
The five institutions that were given the award for fighting plastic pollution on campus include Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Yaba College of Technology, University of Calabar and the University of Delta.
At the official inauguration of the French Embassy Fund (FEF) on Wednesday, 9th October, 2024, the Head of Cooperation and Cultural Affairs, French Embassy, Thierry Valentin, said the five institutions have been awarded over N500 million to encourage young Nigerian researchers to develop innovative ideas for a safer environment.
He noted that the project to combat plastic pollution in Nigeria, tagged the French Embassy Fund (FEF), was part of the French Government’s global effort geared towards encouraging proper and effective management of plastic waste.

While speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Sunday Elom, commended the French government for supporting research and innovation in Nigeria, assuring that the university will make judicious use of the money to promote research, innovation, and development in the area of managing plastic waste.
The Vice-Chancellor who was represented by his deputy in charge of Academic, Prof. Romanus Ejiaga further reiterated the university’s commitment to a safer environment, recalling how it was one of the reasons the institution established the Campus-Green Initiative, which according to him, has helped in promoting beautiful, eco-friendly and safer environment on campus since its inception in 2016.