FIIRO Directors Reject Allegations Of Poor Leadership, Declining Research Under Director-General Tutuwa | Sahara Reporters
However, the directors rejected the allegations, insisting that the institute had recorded improvements in electricity supply, water infrastructure, research activities, regional research centres and staff welfare under Tutuwa’s leadership.
The Committee of Directors of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), has denied allegations of institutional decline, deteriorating infrastructure and declining research productivity levelled against the institute’s Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jummai Adamu Tutuwa.
The directors, in a statement on Wednesday, described a petition dated October 24, 2026, by a group identifying itself as “concerned stakeholders at FIIRO” as containing misinformation and allegations they said were not supported by facts.
The statement was signed by Dr. Ahmed Aroke, Director of Chemical, Fibre and Environmental Technology; Mr. Timothy Ajayi, Production, Analytical and Laboratory Management; Engr. Dr. Livinus Onu, Director of Product Design and Development; Ms. K. O. Unuigbe, Director of Extension and Linkages; and Mr. Charles Ibe, Director of Human Resource Management.
Earlier, a group had called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish an investigative panel to examine the institute’s affairs, including infrastructure, research output, financial management, procurement processes and institutional governance from May 10, 2022, to date.
However, the directors rejected the allegations, insisting that the institute had recorded improvements in electricity supply, water infrastructure, research activities, regional research centres and staff welfare under Tutuwa’s leadership.
“We categorically condemn and reject outrightly the desperate attempt by this group to destabilize the institute and cause misunderstanding within the FIIRO community,” the directors said.
They added that the petition questioned the institute’s priorities based on what they described as a “misconstrued idea” about the demonstration and test-running of a locally fabricated gas stove intended for distribution by the First Lady during the institute’s 70th anniversary.
On electricity supply, the directors said Tutuwa inherited an outstanding electricity debt of N25 million when she assumed office on May 10, 2022.
“To ensure steady and improved electricity supply from Eko Distribution Company, she paid up the debt not minding that her predecessors deliberately refused to pay despite getting full overhead from government,” the statement said.
The directors said the institute subsequently installed solar power systems at the ground and first floors of the Koleosho Laboratory Complex, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit, the library complex and the administrative block.
They further stated that FIIRO receives between 18 and 24 hours of electricity daily from Eko DisCo and pays an average monthly electricity bill of N1.5 million.
On water supply, the directors said the institute had a functional and well-maintained borehole supplying its laboratories, workshops, pilot plants and other facilities. They acknowledged occasional interruptions caused by power outages but said a 60KVA generator had been dedicated to pumping water.
The statement also rejected suggestions that the institute’s research facilities had been abandoned or rendered inactive.
“The research and development laboratories in Kolesho laboratory complex, cassava processing pilot plant, the pulp and paper processing laboratory, ceramics pilot plant, packaging pilot plants, PDD (Engineering complex), foundry pilot plant, mushroom house, and electroplating pilot plant are functional,” the directors said.
They cited a visit by a delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology on August 19, 2026, during which officials and journalists toured the facilities.
On research output, the directors said Tutuwa directed technical departments to initiate new projects while continuing work on existing ones.
They listed ongoing projects involving biodegradable packaging made from cassava peels, food-processing machinery fabricated with food-grade stainless steel, waste conversion, pollution mitigation, vitamin-fortified foods, functional foods for malnourished people, enzyme production for bread-making, tissue culture and mushroom cultivation.
Defending the administration’s research priorities, the directors said Tutuwa encouraged departments to pursue new ideas alongside existing projects.
“She reiterates that while efforts should continue in finishing and improving the old projects, it is through new ideas that innovation can be achieved,” the statement said.
The directors added that FIIRO had concluded a Gates Foundation-funded project on the stability of micronutrients using bouillon in Nigerian dishes and was working with the Sight and Life Foundation on product innovation in nutrition bread and multigrain pap.
They also defended the restructuring of the institute’s zonal centres, saying the administration elevated them to semi-autonomous research centres to strengthen research and development based on the raw materials and comparative advantages of their respective regions.
According to the statement, the centres received research equipment, baking facilities, cassava bread production equipment, analytical equipment and solar power installations. The directors listed centres in Akure, Ondo State; Asaba, Delta State; Enugu, Enugu State; Yola, Adamawa State; and Langtang, Plateau State.
The directors said the restructuring also created opportunities for staff advancement.
“The unbundling of FIIRO’s establishment and elevation of zonal centres to Directorate level have led to promotion of six deputy directors, who hitherto are stagnated for years to Director in 2023 and 2024 promotion exercise,” they said.
On staff welfare, the directors said Tutuwa helped resolve controversies surrounding the 2021 promotion exercise, which they said had faced complaints over compliance with public service rules.
They said the exercise was subsequently approved by the Governing Board led by Mallam Gambo Jimeta and the supervising ministry, with the results implemented retrospectively from January 2021.
The statement further said the administration facilitated payment of outstanding 2018 and 2019 promotion arrears following engagements with officials of the Accountant-General of the Federation’s office and the Budget Office.
It added that arrears for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 promotion exercises had also been paid, alongside outstanding repatriation fees and death benefits owed to retired and deceased staff or their beneficiaries.
The directors also highlighted the passage of the FIIRO Establishment Act as an achievement of Tutuwa’s tenure, saying the bill was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023.
They maintained that the petition’s portrayal of declining research output was false and urged the public to assess the allegations based on verifiable facts.
“While request for accountability and constructive criticisms are important, we appeal for reports based on facts, fairness and responsible journalism,” the directors said.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that some staff members of FIIRO accused the institute’s Director-General, Adamu-Tutuwa, of allegedly neglecting research and staff welfare while promoting a gas-stove project that the sources described as an attempt to use the institution for political purposes.
The sources also alleged that the institute had struggled with electricity and water shortages, stalled staff promotions and a decline in research activities under Adamu-Tutuwa’s leadership.
The allegations followed a video message in which the director-general invited the First Lady to participate in the presentation of the gas stoves during the anniversary celebration in November 2026.
In the video, Adamu-Tutuwa said the institute had locally fabricated 200 gas stoves to support women who earn a living by frying akara and puff-puff.
However, the staff members who spoke to SaharaReporters questioned whether the stoves represented a meaningful research innovation and alleged that the project was being promoted at the expense of the institute’s core responsibilities.