10th ACE Impact Workshop from October 31 to November 3, 2023.

The Africa Centre of Excellence in Oilfield Chemicals Research (ACE-CEFOR), University of Port Harcourt, was one of the 17 Nigeria ACE Impact Centres that participated in the 10^th ACE Impact Workshop which took place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from October 31 to November 3, 2023. Workshop activities for the Centre began on Monday, October 16, with a virtual Pre-Workshop Country Roundtable for the Nigerian ACEs. There were also virtual Fiduciary Management and Procurement sessions on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

On Tuesday, October 31, the workshop kicked off officially with an Opening Ceremony, highlights of which included opening remarks by Prof. Olusola B. Oyewole, Secretary-General, Association of African Universities (AAU); Mrs. Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira, Country Director, Cote d’Ivoire, World Bank and Mr. Lionel Yondo, Regional Director for Gulf of Guinea, Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The workshop was declared open by Professor Arsène Kobéa, Director of Cabinet, Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Higher Education.

The workshop had 6 plenary sessions covering ACE Impact Progress Update; Nimble ACE Impact Evaluation Dissemination; Vice Chancellor/University President Panel Discussion on Sustainability; Sustainability-Lessons Across ACEs; Sustainability and Regional Networks and the Reporting Back Session.  

The workshop continued on Wednesday, November 1, with the Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting. There were also parallel sessions covering Expert Meetings; DLR 5.3 (Entrepreneurship); Monitoring & Evaluation and Safeguards. Thematic breakout sessions held on Thursday, November 2, for Engineering; Energy/Environment; Water; Mining; Urban/Transport; Health; Agriculture; ICT and Education. Clinics were also held for DLR 7.5 (Institutional Impact); DLR 4.3 (Teaching & Research Infrastructure); DLR 5.3 (Entrepreneurship);  Monitoring & Evaluation and Safeguards on Thursday. The workshop ended on Friday, November 3, with a closing ceremony presided over by Professor Arsène Kobéa, Director of Cabinet, Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Higher Education.

ACE-CEFOR was represented at the 10^th ACE Impact workshop by the Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt and Chairman, ACE-CEFOR Steering Committee, Prof. Georgewill Owunari; ACE Projects Coordinator for the University of Port Harcourt and Deputy Vice Chancellor Research & Development, Prof. Iyeopu Siminialayi; Centre Leader, Prof. Ikechukwu Agbagwa; Deputy Centre Leader, Dr. Victor Aimikhe; Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, Mr. Uduma Ikpa and Safeguards Officer, Mr. Daniel Okon.