FG unveils strategy to bridge gap between research, industry

The Federal Ministry of Education has intensified efforts to transform research outputs into commercially viable products and businesses with the commencement of the North-West Zonal National Commercialisation Intelligence and Ecosystem Engagement Workshop in Kano.

The two-day workshop, organised through the Ministry’s Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Committee (RICC) in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is the fifth in a series of six zonal engagements aimed at building a robust National Research and Commercialisation Intelligence Ecosystem to accelerate innovation-driven economic growth.

The workshop, which runs from July 27 to 28, brings together policymakers, researchers, academics, investors, industry leaders, development partners, financial institutions, innovation hubs and other key stakeholders from Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States to develop practical strategies for commercialising research and strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Committee (RICC), TF Okujagu, described the North-West as one of Nigeria’s leading centres of commerce, manufacturing, agriculture, enterprise and innovation, making it strategically positioned to drive research commercialisation and industrial growth.

He said the zonal consultation forms part of a nationwide effort to co-design a research commercialisation ecosystem that reflects the comparative advantages of each geopolitical zone while enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.

According to Okujagu, Nigeria’s greatest challenge is not a shortage of innovative ideas or talented researchers but the absence of a coordinated system that effectively links researchers, innovators, industry, investors and government.

He disclosed that the proposed National Commercialisation Intelligence System (NCIS) would provide a unified digital platform serving as a national repository for research outputs, technology readiness levels, industry demand, funding opportunities, investor networks and commercialisation pathways.

“The platform will become a strategic national asset that enables stronger collaboration, facilitates technology transfer, supports evidence-based policymaking and accelerates the transformation of research into products, enterprises, jobs and national prosperity,” he said.

Okujagu added that the initiative aligns with the vision of the Minister of Education and TETFund to promote research commercialisation, stimulate economic diversification and position Nigeria as a competitive player in the global knowledge-driven economy.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Seth Akutson called for a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s research ecosystem, urging stakeholders to reposition research as a key driver of industrialisation and economic development.

He observed that while universities and research institutions continue to produce valuable knowledge, many innovations remain confined to laboratories and academic journals because of weak industry linkages, inadequate financing, limited commercialisation structures and insufficient intellectual property protection.

Akutson encouraged researchers to focus on solving real-life societal challenges while building stronger partnerships with industries and investors capable of translating discoveries into commercially successful products and services.

Drawing lessons from countries such as South Africa, Israel and the United Kingdom, he advocated the adoption of the Triple Helix Plus model, which promotes collaboration among academia, government, industry, investors, innovation hubs and development partners to move research beyond publications into factories, farms, hospitals and communities.

Also speaking, RICC member, Engr. Umar Bindir, presented the National Research-to-Commercialisation (R2C) Initiative, explaining that it seeks to establish an integrated National Commercialisation Intelligence System linking universities, research institutes, industry, investors, innovation hubs, technology transfer offices and policymakers through a single digital infrastructure.

He said the platform would improve visibility for research outputs, facilitate industry demand matching, strengthen investment decisions, monitor commercialisation pipelines and enable government to track national innovation performance using real-time data.

Bindir described the initiative as a strategic national asset designed to transform Nigeria’s fragmented innovation ecosystem into a coordinated, data-driven network capable of delivering measurable socio-economic outcomes.

He noted that the ongoing zonal consultations would capture regional strengths and intelligence that would shape the National Research-to-Commercialisation Framework, urging participants to contribute ideas that would help build an innovation ecosystem capable of creating businesses, quality jobs, wealth and sustainable national prosperity.

Participants commended the Federal Ministry of Education and TETFund for sustaining investments in research infrastructure, institutional capacity and innovation, noting that the current initiative represents a significant step toward bridging the longstanding gap between research and industry and positioning research as a catalyst for economic growth, enterprise development and national competitiveness.