By Adeola Kunle
New facilities to support home-grown inventions, collaborative research and commercialisation of innovative products
Research for Impact programme expands participation to strengthen teamwork, mentorship and enterprise development in Nigerian institutions
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has commenced the establishment of Innovation Hubs in 45 beneficiary tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to strengthen research, promote technological advancement and turn locally developed ideas into commercially viable products.
The initiative is designed to reposition tertiary institutions as centres of research and development where academics can develop practical solutions to societal challenges, establish enterprises and contribute to national economic growth.
The Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at TETFund, Arc. Babatunde Olajide, disclosed this while representing the Fund’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, at the closing ceremony of Cohort 34 of the Research for Impact (R4i) Initiative held on Friday.
Olajide explained that the Innovation Hubs would provide researchers with the facilities and environment needed to apply the knowledge acquired during training, sustain research partnerships and transform innovative ideas into practical solutions.
He noted that TETFund’s investment in research was driven by the recognition that impactful innovation was essential to developing a knowledge-based economy and achieving sustainable national development.
According to him, education remains fundamental to nation-building, while technology has become a major force in transforming lives, creating wealth and shaping the progress of nations.
He emphasised the importance of developing indigenous solutions to Nigeria’s challenges rather than relying exclusively on technologies and innovations produced in other countries.
The Research for Impact Initiative, implemented in partnership with Innov8 Technology Hub, equips researchers and academics from beneficiary institutions with practical skills to develop innovative research that addresses pressing societal needs.
The two-week programme exposes participants to hands-on innovation facilities, research development techniques and professional mentorship, enabling them to translate their ideas into solutions, products and business ventures.
Olajide revealed that participants from earlier cohorts had developed several prototypes, some of which had received patents. He said these achievements demonstrated the programme’s capacity to bridge the gap between academic research and practical outcomes.
He added that encouraging feedback from participants and their institutions had motivated TETFund to sustain and expand the initiative.
As part of the expansion, the Fund has increased the number of participants nominated by each selected beneficiary institution from one to four.
The adjustment is intended to bring together researchers from complementary scientific disciplines, encourage teamwork and knowledge-sharing, and develop a network of academics capable of mentoring emerging researchers.
Olajide explained that the approach would strengthen collaborative research within tertiary institutions and encourage the production of market-oriented innovations with the potential for commercialisation.
He said the objective was to build teams of innovative researchers who could mentor younger scholars and promote sustainable research and innovation practices across the tertiary education system.
According to him, the establishment of Innovation Hubs in the 45 institutions would provide researchers with the necessary support to continue developing their ideas beyond the intensive training period.
He urged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the programme and remain committed to producing innovations that would positively impact their institutions and communities.
Olajide also reminded them that completing the training marked the beginning of another important phase, which involved advancing their developed products towards commercialisation.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy General Manager of Innov8 Technology Hub, Deji Ige, described the partnership with TETFund as a significant step towards strengthening research, innovation and enterprise creation in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Ige said the initiative was helping academics move beyond theoretical studies by providing opportunities to develop practical solutions capable of addressing challenges within their communities and the country at large.
He explained that the programme encouraged researchers to explore how their knowledge and expertise could be converted into innovations, viable businesses and products that would support national development.
Describing the Research for Impact Initiative as an important opportunity for Nigerian academics, Ige said it offered a pathway for researchers to translate ideas into innovation, practical solutions and meaningful action.
He encouraged participants to experiment, remain persistent and learn from setbacks, stressing that failure was often an unavoidable part of developing new technologies and innovative solutions.
Ige further urged the researchers to maintain the professional relationships established during the programme and use their knowledge to develop indigenous technologies, establish businesses and create wealth.
Also speaking, the Director of Innov8 Technology Hub, Mr Edward Singhatey, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing innovation and strengthening its partnership with TETFund.
Singhatey pledged that Innov8 would continue to identify and deploy cutting-edge technologies and relevant content to support the programme’s objectives, assuring the Fund of the organisation’s continued commitment to promoting innovation in Nigeria.
The establishment of the Innovation Hubs, alongside the expansion of the Research for Impact Initiative, is expected to provide a stronger foundation for research collaboration, indigenous technological development and the transformation of academic discoveries into products and enterprises that can contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.
Adeola Kunle
No comments:
Post a Comment