The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has commenced the establishment of innovation hubs in 45 beneficiary tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to strengthen research, promote technological innovation and accelerate the commercialisation of locally developed products.
Babatunde Olajide, director of monitoring and evaluation at TETFund, said the initiative is designed to transform tertiary institutions into research and development (R&D) centres where academics can develop home-grown solutions to societal challenges, create enterprises and contribute to economic growth.
Olajide spoke on Friday at the closing ceremony of cohort 34 of the research for impact (R4i) initiative.
Olajide, who represented Sonny Echono, executive secretary of TETFund, said the innovation hubs would provide facilities for researchers to apply the skills acquired during the programme, sustain collaborative research and turn innovative ideas into practical solutions.
He said the Fund’s investment in research was driven by the need to build a knowledge-based economy and achieve sustainable national development.
“Education remains a critical cornerstone of nation-building, while technology has taken centre stage globally in transforming lives, generating wealth and shaping nations,” Olajide said.
He stressed the importance of developing home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s challenges rather than relying solely on technologies and innovations developed elsewhere.
The two-week R4i programme, implemented in collaboration with Innov8 Technology Hub, equips researchers and academics from beneficiary institutions with practical skills, research development techniques and expert mentorship to translate ideas into solutions, products and enterprises.
Olajide disclosed that participants in previous cohorts had developed several prototypes, some of which had been patented, demonstrating the potential of the initiative to translate academic research into tangible outcomes.
He said positive feedback from participants and their institutions had encouraged TETFund to sustain and expand the programme.
As part of the expansion, the Fund has increased the number of participants nominated by each selected beneficiary institution from one to four.
According to Olajide, the arrangement is intended to bring together researchers from complementary scientific backgrounds, promote teamwork and knowledge-sharing, and build a pool of academics capable of mentoring emerging researchers.
“The essence is to build a team of innovative researchers who will mentor upcoming scholars in the system, thereby promoting the entrenchment and sustainability of collaborative and innovative research practices in our institutions,” he said.
He added that the innovation hubs would provide a conducive environment for researchers to continue developing their ideas beyond the intensive training sessions, with an emphasis on producing market-driven research outputs that could be commercialised.
Olajide urged participants to build on the knowledge acquired during the programme and remain committed to developing solutions that could benefit their institutions and communities.
“The completion of this phase signifies the commencement of the next phase of working towards commercialisation of the products you have developed,” he said.
Deji Ige, deputy general manager of Innov8 Technology Hub, described the partnership with TETFund as an important step towards strengthening research, innovation and enterprise creation in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
He said the initiative was helping academics move beyond theoretical research to develop practical solutions capable of addressing local challenges.
According to Ige, the programme provides researchers with opportunities to convert their knowledge and expertise into innovations, viable enterprises and products that can contribute to national development.
“Research for Impact is more than an initiative. It is a lamp unto the path of Nigerians, especially members of the academia, who have long awaited an opportunity to begin the journey towards translating ideas into innovation, solutions and action,” he said.
Ige encouraged participants to embrace experimentation and learn from setbacks, noting that failure was often part of the process of developing new technologies and solutions.
“When you are looking to innovate, do not be afraid of failure, because failure is part of the chaotic process of innovation. So, embrace the opportunity,” he said.
He also urged the researchers to maintain the relationships established during the programme and apply their knowledge to developing home-grown technologies, creating businesses and generating wealth.
Edward Singhatey, director of Innov8 Technology Hub, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to its partnership with TETFund, pledging to deploy cutting-edge technologies and relevant content to advance the initiative.
“We are passionate about innovation, and as long as you continue to trust and have confidence in us, we will keep searching for cutting-edge technology and the latest content to deliver on our mandate. We will forever remain a committed partner in innovation to TETFund,” he said.
