The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has shortlisted 12 research proposals from 169 submissions for the final stage of its research commercialisation grant programme.
NASENI disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Ms Joy Elugbe, Team Lead of the Programme and Deputy Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at NASENI, said the shortlisted proposals emerged after a rigorous evaluation designed to identify research with strong commercial potential.
Elugbe said the programme aims to bridge the longstanding gap between research institutions and industry by supporting innovations capable of creating jobs and driving industrial development.
She noted that the 169 proposals came from universities, polytechnics and research institutes across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The initiative attracted entries from eligible institutions with innovations capable of addressing national development challenges through science, engineering and technology.
According to her, a preliminary screening reduced the entries to 49 proposals after duplicate submissions and ineligible applications were removed. NASENI then engaged 21 professors with expertise across its approved thematic areas to independently assess originality, technical quality and research relevance.
The agency’s Innovation Hub further evaluated the shortlisted proposals to determine their commercial viability and readiness for market adoption. Only 12 proposals — two from each geopolitical zone — progressed to the due diligence stage before the final selection of six grant beneficiaries.
“The objective is not simply to fund research but to invest in innovations that can successfully reach the market and deliver real impact,” she said.
Elugbe explained that the programme was conceived to address the challenge of research breakthroughs remaining unused due to inadequate funding. The initiative, championed by NASENI’s Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Khalil Suleiman Halilu, focuses on commercially viable research with strong economic potential.
She said the programme aims to support innovations capable of generating wealth, creating employment opportunities and strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base. Commercialisation, she added, involves transforming research outcomes, inventions or services into profitable products that meet market demands.
Elugbe noted that the programme aligns with NASENI’s strategic focus on Collaboration, Creation and Commercialisation, known as the 3Cs. “Innovation achieves its greatest value only when research outcomes reach end users through commercially successful products and services,” she said.
NASENI conducted nationwide sensitisation campaigns across the six geopolitical zones after opening the application portal. The exercise educated prospective applicants on programme requirements, application procedures and the importance of research commercialisation. Radio awareness campaigns further complemented the sensitisation, improving participation and enhancing the quality of proposals received.
Elugbe added that NASENI’s support would extend beyond grant disbursement. Beneficiaries will receive technical guidance, commercial advisory services and continuous support through the agency’s Innovation Hub to improve product development, attract investment and ensure long-term commercial success.
She recalled that the NASENI research commercialisation grant programme was inaugurated in March 2025. The initiative promotes innovation, technological advancement and the commercialisation of research outcomes in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
