By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has inaugurated a high-level Ministerial Committee to spearhead the commercialisation of research outputs from Nigerian tertiary institutions, marking a major step toward bridging the longstanding gap between academia and industry.
The committee—named the Research and Innovation Commercialisation Committee (RICC)—was officially launched in Abuja on Tuesday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa.
According to the Minister, the initiative is designed to transform locally developed research into commercially viable products and services, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at shifting Nigeria from a resource-based economy to one driven by knowledge and innovation.
“Nations that have achieved sustainable development and global competitiveness have done so by investing in knowledge creation and, more importantly, in the effective commercialisation of research outputs,” Alausa stated.
The RICC will be chaired by Dr. Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). Other members include Prof. Ibrahim Katampe, Dr. Umar Bindir, Prof. Sydney Ibeanusi, Dr. Detoun Ogwu, along with representatives from the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, the Bank of Industry, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and several universities.
Dr. Alausa highlighted various ongoing efforts by the Ministry through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to strengthen research in higher institutions. These include the establishment of central multipurpose laboratories, the deployment of alternative energy solutions across campuses, and the setup of advanced medical simulation centres.
Despite these strides, he acknowledged the gap in translating research into practical applications. “The weak link between academia and industry has limited our ability to reap the enormous benefits of research. This committee will serve as a strategic bridge between both worlds,” the Minister noted.
He added that commercialising research outcomes would not only boost institutional revenue but also improve Nigeria’s innovation ranking, foster self-reliance, and attract international investments.
In a further boost to innovation, Dr. Alausa announced the launch of a N50 million Student Venture Capital Grant, aimed at supporting market-ready, student-led enterprises. The initiative, to be implemented by TETFund in partnership with the Bank of India, targets undergraduates in 300-level and above with scalable business ideas.
“We have hundreds of thousands of young geniuses across our institutions. This fund is designed to unlock their potential and help them build globally competitive enterprises,” he said.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the inauguration of the committee as a turning point for Nigeria’s research and innovation ecosystem.
“For too long, research in our tertiary institutions has been reduced to tools for promotion rather than solutions for development. This must change,” she declared.
In his remarks, RICC Chairman Dr. Aduloju underscored the urgency of the initiative, stressing that Nigeria’s research investment as a share of GDP remains among the lowest globally.
“If Mr. President’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy is to truly drive transformation, then innovation capital must lead the charge,” he said.
He also called for deeper inter-ministerial collaboration and greater involvement of sub-national governments, proposing the creation of a national innovation forum to unify all relevant stakeholders.
“The private sector has been disconnected for too long. We are committed to building institutional linkages that last beyond this Committee’s lifespan,” Dr. Aduloju affirmed.
Echoing similar sentiments, Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, praised the Minister of Education for his strong backing of the Fund’s research and innovation programmes.
“TETFund has championed several initiatives geared towards promoting impactful research and to facilitate the uptake of research outcomes with potential commercialization.
“I am glad that this chairman of the committee has been a partner in our efforts and our journey to try and see how we can create synergy, to be a triple-headed, to bring government, a private sector, and our academia together. We have been working with the communities, communities of practice, communities of business, and even the local communities where these enterprises are to help galvanize and situate research properly as the engine of growth in the economy,” Echono stated.
