Due to #EndSARS protest that disrupted the peace of the country, the management of Grooming Centre, a leading Microfinance Institution in Nigeria, has again extended the deadline for submissions of entries for the 2020 Grooming University Research grants till November 14, 2020.

Announcing the new closing date, the financial institution stated that the extension of the entries submission date became necessary in order to afford more students the opportunity to participate in the scheme having been earlier disturbed by Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, ASUU strike and EndSARS protest.

In the scheme, which is the second edition, Grooming Centre, a microfinance institution, is giving research grants to 150 undergraduate and post-graduate students across the country.

The project coordinator and head of New Initiatives at Grooming Centre, Mr. Chikezie Egbulefu, said the portal for submission of entries, which has been opened since September, would now be closed on November 14, 2020 to receive more entries and enable the organiser collate the entries.

He explained that the scheme was designed to catalyze research and knowledge development that would proffer solutions to social and economic problems in the country.

According to him, this year’s grant would be awarded to 100 undergraduates with each taking N100,000 and 50 post-graduate students who would be awarded N200,000 each for carrying out their research studies in the areas of microfinance, rural development, inclusive finance, social enterprise, MSME and women in development.

“The project, which is managed by the Centre for Research in Enterprise and Action in Management (CREM), will focus on and encourage research whose findings have the potential to enhance the growth of the Nigerian economy post-COVID-19 and contribute to general human development,” he said.

Explaining the requirements to qualify for consideration under the scheme, chairman of the grant review technical committee, Mr. Alex Ajibo, said a student must be carrying out research on a topic relevant to the areas earlier listed and entries must be received through the company’s email: info@groomingresearchgrant.org by November 14.