FG Moves To Commercialise University Research With 41 Innovation Centres

The Federal Government said it is establishing 41 University Innovation Pods (UniPods) across tertiary institutions as part of President Bola Tinubu’s push to use education, technology, research and innovation to drive Nigeria’s transition from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.

The minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during a meeting with the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and seven vice chancellors on the UNDP Innovation Hub, adding that the initiative reflects the President’s strong belief in education as the bedrock of national development and his ambition to build a one trillion dollar economy.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the minister’s Special Adviser (Media and Communications), Ikharo Attah on Wednesday.

Alausa said the UniPods are designed to turn research into jobs, investment and measurable economic impact, and that their success will be judged not by buildings and equipment alone but by the solutions and value they generate.

He noted that eight UniPods have either been commissioned or are ready for commissioning, with three already operational at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Other specialised centres include the Blue Economy UniPod in Akwa Ibom, AgroTech in Benue State University, Resilience Tech in Borno State, GovTech at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Industrial Tech in Plateau State.

The minister stressed that Nigeria must move beyond research conducted largely for academic promotion to a system where research moves from the laboratory to the market and ultimately to real impact.

Citing the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University, he said researchers there have developed geospatial maps showing deposits of lithium, gold and bauxite, including details of their locations and depths, and that such innovations represent major economic opportunities if investors are connected to researchers with clear pathways for commercialisation.

He added that government has already reduced initial risks by providing infrastructure, equipment and technical capacity, making private investment and commercialisation the next critical step.

According to Alausa, the Federal Ministry of Education, in partnership with UNDP and Tech4Dev, is working towards establishing about 41 UniPods in the coming years. He said the centres must not remain dependent on grants but should become financially sustainable enterprises capable of generating revenue, supporting their universities and attracting talent.

He noted that the UniPods will operate within a governance framework developed by the Ministry and UNDP, while eligible centres will be able to establish commercial accounts in line with existing government guidelines for university research centres.

Alausa added that part of the revenue generated will be retained by the UniPods to sustain operations, while another portion will support targeted technological development within host universities.

Also speaking, the minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, said the UniPods should be viewed beyond academic functions and positioned as instruments for accelerating Nigeria’s industrialisation.

She urged universities to expose students and researchers to industrialisation and commercialisation so that innovative ideas can become products, services and businesses that contribute to national development.

She also stressed that the benefits of the UniPods should extend beyond host institutions, with students and researchers from other universities able to access the facilities subject to appropriate procedures, describing them as a national opportunity for Nigerian students with innovative ideas regardless of their institutions.

On his part, the Resident Representative of UNDP Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, commended Alausa for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness and innovation, and said the changing global development landscape requires countries to generate their own wealth and competitiveness.

She described the UniPods as instruments for advancing Nigeria’s reform agenda, creating jobs and helping citizens realise their potential, and assured that UNDP is ready to facilitate South South cooperation, including possible engagement with India, while strengthening the emerging network among the UniPods and supporting their governance, financing and sustainability.

Alausa assured that the Federal Ministry of Education will continue to work with UNDP, Tech4Dev, universities and other partners to make the UniPods sustainable centres of innovation, enterprise and economic opportunity.

He said the ministry will pursue effective governance and financing arrangements that enable the centres to generate and responsibly manage resources, attract investment and support their host institutions, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that President Tinubu’s investments in education and technology translate into practical research, viable businesses, jobs and highly skilled young Nigerians capable of driving Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.