Greg Ibeh: Nigerian billionaire pledges $1 million to COVID-19 research
Nigerian billionaire academic, entrepreneur and inventor Prof. Greg Ibeh has pledged $1 million to the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Ibeh will also help facilitate the research via his Abia-based Gregory University, Uturu, which announced the move in a statement on January 19.
The endowment fund available to scientists in southern Nigeria was launched under Gregory Iyke Foundation, varsity registrar Rosemary Nneka said.
The move will put Nigeria, which has been reliant on foreign scientific aid, high on the ladder of COVID-19 research.
“Interested research scientists are to submit their proposals to the secretary of the COVID-19 Research Fund Committee, Dr Prince Nkemakolam Okoroh of the Department of Biochemistry on or before February 28, 2021,” the statement read.
Gregory University also says it “has all the required instruments and equipment for research.”
Applicants can submit proposals via the following email:
They can also reach out through the following phone numbers:
- 07038834806
- 07060968996
- 08035827247
This is not the first time Ibeh, who is also the chancellor of Gregory University, will be joining the fight against COVID-19.
The billionaire previously donated 850 bags of rice (50kg each) to the Abia State food bank for distribution to needy groups following 2020’s pandemic lockdowns. He also donated 10,000 cartons of noodles to the 17 local government areas and groups in the state. Ibeh also gave two ambulances to assist the state’s inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19 to convey blood samples to Abakaliki for testing.
The donations were made through Gregory Iyke Foundation.
