The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to transform scientific research in Nigeria into profitable businesses and industrial products, noting that many innovations developed in the country remain confined to laboratories instead of contributing to economic development.
Speaking during a strategic meeting with state commissioners for Science, Technology and Innovation on the commercialisation of research outcomes, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, said Nigeria must urgently begin converting knowledge generated through research into economic value.
Udeh explained that although Nigeria has made notable investments in research and development across universities, polytechnics and research institutes, the economic impact of those investments has remained limited.
He noted that many valuable research outcomes are often left in laboratories, technical documents and academic journals instead of being transformed into practical products, services and businesses capable of improving livelihoods and strengthening the economy.
The minister stressed that global economic strength is increasingly determined by a country’s ability to convert knowledge and innovation into value, rather than relying solely on natural resources. According to him, nations that have successfully commercialised research have built strong industrial sectors, competitive technology industries and more resilient economies.
Udeh also pointed out that Nigerian scientists and innovators are already producing solutions in sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, biotechnology, digital technology, health sciences, manufacturing and climate resilience, but many of these innovations have yet to reach the commercial stage.
He raised concerns about the country’s innovation ecosystem, asking how many research discoveries have evolved into viable commercial products, how many patents have been licensed to industries and how much revenue Nigeria is generating from its innovations.
To address the gap between research output and market application, the minister announced the formation of a committee tasked with developing a National Policy on the Commercialisation of Research and Development Results and Inventions.
According to him, the policy will serve as a national framework that will coordinate federal and state initiatives, reduce fragmentation and provide clear guidance to researchers, investors, industry stakeholders and development partners.
Udeh urged state commissioners to play a vital role in strengthening innovation ecosystems within their states by aligning local policies with national commercialisation goals, fostering stronger partnerships between tertiary institutions and industries, and supporting innovation hubs and start-ups.
He added that each state possesses unique strengths in areas such as agro-processing, solid minerals, digital innovation, manufacturing, creative industries and renewable energy, noting that commercialisation strategies should be designed to reflect these comparative advantages.
The minister further emphasised that government funding alone cannot drive innovation and commercialisation. He called for alternative financing mechanisms including public-private partnerships, venture capital investment, industry-sponsored research and collaboration with development partners.
Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Philip Ndiomu Ebiogeh, said Nigeria must move beyond simply producing knowledge to actively transforming research outcomes into economic value.
He noted that universities, polytechnics, research institutes and innovation hubs across the country are generating important research outputs, patents and technological solutions. However, he said the major challenge lies in converting these outputs into marketable products, scalable businesses, employment opportunities and national wealth.
Ebiogeh added that state commissioners are strategically positioned to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and industrial application because they operate closest to innovation ecosystems within their respective states.
He stressed that Nigeria must deliberately develop systems that support patenting, prototyping, incubation, venture financing, regulatory support and market access to ensure research outcomes translate into economic impact.
Also speaking at the meeting, Director-General of the National Board for Technology Incubation, Kazeem Kolawole Raji, said the agency is expanding initiatives aimed at encouraging youth-led innovation and helping young people transform ideas into viable businesses.
Raji revealed that the board recently launched the second edition of the Next Gen Innovation Challenge, a programme targeted at Nigerian students and young innovators.
He explained that the initiative is designed to support young Nigerians in developing their ideas into businesses capable of creating employment and contributing to economic growth.
According to him, if thousands of innovations evolve into companies employing 20 to 30 people each, the cumulative impact could significantly boost Nigeria’s GDP and employment levels.
Raji disclosed that more than 1,000 applications have already been received for the 2026 edition of the programme, with expectations that about 300,000 youths will eventually participate.
He also called on the media and civil society organisations to help spread awareness about the initiative so that innovators at the grassroots can benefit from the programme.
According to him, Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem operates on a quintuple helix model involving government, industry, academia, the environment that supports innovation and the media alongside civil society.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Helen Adeniyi, commended the federal government for organising the meeting and expressed the state’s readiness to support innovation-driven initiatives.
She revealed that three young innovators from Kogi State were among the winners in the previous NextGen innovation competition, highlighting the strong human capital available in the state.
Adeniyi noted that Kogi possesses key resources that can support innovation and economic growth, including human talent, political support and mineral resources, adding that the state has been collaborating actively with federal programmes.
She expressed confidence that the meeting would strengthen collaboration between the federal government and states in promoting research commercialisation and building an innovation-driven economy.
