Nigeria is unlocking the commercial power of its homegrown research and innovation as the Federal Government is unveiling new plans to take locally-developed solutions to market, according to Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology. 

The Minister says that the Nigerian innovation ecosystem is maturing and ready to drive national development through commercialisation of indigenous inventions.

Speaking at a recent Research and Innovation Workshop held in Lagos, Nnaji, who was represented by Engr. Patricks Oghuma, his Special Assistant, outlines the government’s new focus on bridging the long-standing gap between innovation and industry to stimulate economic transformation.

Nnaji affirms that the Ministry is prioritising infrastructure development to move prototypes into commercially viable products. “With commercialisation and scaling up prototypes, the Ministry is well positioned to close the gap between research, innovation and the market,” he says.

“Nigeria’s path to sustainable development is anchored in a bold strategy that prioritises research and innovation as the foundation for solving pressing local challenges,” according to the Minister.

From lab to market: A national tech shift

Nnaji affirms that the Ministry is prioritising infrastructure development to move prototypes into commercially viable products. “With commercialisation and scaling up prototypes, the Ministry is well positioned to close the gap between research, innovation and the market,” he says.

According to the Minister, this paradigm shift is expected to reduce Nigeria’s over-reliance on imported technologies while simultaneously creating new jobs, retaining foreign exchange, and generating wealth.

“We are encouraging domestic technologies. This will lessen our dependence on foreign technologies, save foreign exchange, create jobs and generate wealth for the benefit of the populace,” he explains.

Tinubu is backing innovation with Inter-Ministerial power

In a significant move underscoring the strategic priority of innovation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the formation of an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Research and Innovation. The new committee, which is being chaired by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, is being coordinated by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.

The committee is expected to harmonise policies and create a cohesive national strategy for the deployment of research outcomes into sectors such as agriculture, health, ICT, energy and manufacturing—areas identified as critical to Nigeria’s development agenda.

This elevated government attention is validating longstanding calls by Nigeria’s research and tech community for stronger political will and funding to translate scientific breakthroughs into socioeconomic progress, according to Nnaji.

Participants urged to forge long-term alliances

The Innovation and Research Workshop is serving as a convergence point for policymakers, researchers, tech entrepreneurs, academia, and industry stakeholders seeking to recalibrate Nigeria’s innovation pipeline from ideation to commercial success.

Nnaji encourages participants to make strategic connections that transcend the event. “Network intentionally to build partnerships that will outlast the workshop and create wealth for the development of the nation,” the Minister urges.

This call is resonating with Nigeria’s growing base of startup founders and tech innovators, many of whom are struggling to scale products due to lack of institutional support, access to funding, and market entry pathways.