The managing director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Danjuma Dadu, on Tuesday said the National Film Institute, Jos, has received a grant of N600 million from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to equip the institution for better productivity.

The institute’s chief executive officer disclosed this while briefing journalists during the opening ceremony of the Entrepreneurship Film Training Programme for Kogi youth.

The youth were sponsored by a federal lawmaker representing Kogi West, Umar Jibril.

Mr. Dadu said N300 million was first accessed to purchase critical equipment, while an additional N300 million was accessed for the building of classrooms and offices at the institute’s permanent site in Lamingo, Jos.

He said the grant was accessed through the University of Jos, and a part of it had already been used to purchase about 100 of the latest iMac computers with animation software as well as the construction of a sound complex for the institute.

“We are a monotechnic so we cannot access the TETFund. The only way was to go through University of Jos because UniJos supervises our degree programme and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Haywad Mafuyai gave us his platform so that TETFund can assist the NFI.

“In the first stage, TETFund provided N300 million through the university and there is an additional N300 million now for the building complex at the permanent site.

“The contract has already been awarded; they are only waiting for TETFund to pay them the first tranche,” Mr. Dadu said while conducting journalists round the facilities

—PremiumTimes