The Federal Government says it is intensifying efforts to commercialize research outputs and strengthen local innovation as part of measures to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on foreign technologies.
The disclosure was made by the Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Mr Kingsley Udeh, on Thursday at a Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) Joint Academy Town Hall meeting, held at the close of the maiden three-day National Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation Communication in Abuja.
Udeh, represented by Dr Ibiam Oguejiofo, National Coordinator of the Strategy Implementation Task Office for Presidential Executive Order No. 5, said Nigeria possesses abundant scientific expertise that remains largely uncoordinated and underutilised.
He lamented that decades of research had failed to translate into tangible economic value, with outcomes rarely developed into market-ready products.
“The country still depends heavily on foreign innovation and grants, with local researchers conducting studies whose final products are developed abroad and later imported. We have experts across all sectors, but we are not taking advantage of what we need in daily life. Research results exist, but there is no coordinated system to turn them into products that benefit the economy,” Udeh said.
He added that the government is developing a National Policy on Research and Innovation Commercialization to align the demand and supply sides of innovation for the first time.
“The policy will enable government agencies to prioritize locally developed innovations through procurement, supported by incentives to help innovators refine products and attract private sector investment. The government is now ready to support any innovator with a tangible product that can be deployed in the economy to ensure such innovations are commercialized and profitable,” he said.
Also speaking, Prof. Chinedu Mmom, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Ogoni, Rivers, highlighted Nigeria’s growing environmental challenges, including desertification, air and water pollution, and land degradation.
Mmom said environmental pollution linked to natural resource exploitation and gas flaring has far-reaching economic consequences, noting that a significant portion of Nigeria’s GDP is affected by environmental degradation.
He expressed concern that despite extensive research on these challenges, most findings remain on shelves and are poorly communicated to end users, particularly rural and vulnerable communities.
“Many research outcomes never reach the people who need them most. Information dissemination is still largely limited to television and radio, which serve only a privileged few,” he said, calling for improved grassroots communication and disaster preparedness, noting that lack of awareness often escalates minor incidents into major disasters.
In his remarks, Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu, President of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, identified inadequate funding as the major challenge facing Nigeria’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem.
Onwualu said limited financing has hindered the translation of research into innovations, goods, and services, despite the presence of several agencies under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
He noted progress towards establishing a National Research and Innovation Fund under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with a bill already passed by the House of Representatives and awaiting Senate concurrence. A committee under the Vice President is finalizing the implementation framework.
“The proposed fund, to be overseen by the National Research and Innovation Council, will enable researchers and innovators to access financing to move ideas from concept to commercial reality,” Onwualu said, commending President Tinubu for creating an enabling environment for research and innovation and expressing optimism that Nigeria would leverage science and technology to drive sustainable economic growth.
In a closing remark, moderator Prof. Hilary Inyang said the convening role played by AUST should be sustained to regularly bring stakeholders together to harness Nigeria’s intellectual capital.
Inyang added that stronger collaboration and deliberate investment in science, technology, and innovation infrastructure would enable Nigeria to translate knowledge into economic value and compete more effectively on the global stage.
