TETFund opens 2026 national research fair to all Nigerian innovators, targets commercialisation of research
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has expanded participation in its 2026 national research Fair and exhibition to all Nigerian innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs and researchers, as part of efforts to accelerate the commercialisation of research and innovation.
Speaking on Friday in Abuja while inaugurating the organising committee for the 2026 national research fair and exhibition, Sonny Echono, TETFund executive secretary, said the initiative is designed to transform research outputs into marketable products and services capable of creating jobs, wealth and driving national development.
Unlike the maiden edition held in 2024, the 2026 exhibition will no longer be limited to TETFund beneficiary institutions.
Echono said every Nigerian with a viable innovation would have the opportunity to participate, regardless of educational background or institutional affiliation.
“We will advertise for entries and any Nigerian who has developed a product, a service or any form of innovation will be given the opportunity to apply,” he said.
“The committee will assess the submissions and select those with strong commercial potential for exhibition.
“We want this fair to become the one-stop shop for all inventors, innovators and researchers in Nigeria. We are extending participation beyond our traditional beneficiary institutions because innovation is not limited to the university system.”
He said the exhibition would serve as a meeting point for researchers, manufacturers, investors, venture capitalists, technology licensing professionals and entrepreneurs to facilitate the movement of promising innovations from laboratories to the marketplace.
“Our goal is to create a conducive environment where researchers, entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists and technology licensing professionals can meet and work together to commercialise these innovations,” he added.
Echono said TETFund’s board of trustees approved the expansion and reconstitution of the organising committee following the success of the inaugural edition.
He said the committee now includes representatives of the organised private sector, innovation hubs, relevant government ministries, the military and the Association of Nigerian Inventors.
According to him, the committee will document research outputs from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, research institutes and independent innovators, develop a national database of innovations, cluster technologies by sector and facilitate partnerships capable of attracting investment.
Echono also announced that an international conference would hold alongside the exhibition to position Nigeria as a leading innovation destination in Africa.
“The conference will bring experts from Africa and beyond to share experiences and best practices so that Nigeria can strengthen its research ecosystem and become a leading innovation hub on the continent,” he said.
The TETFund boss said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by promoting local manufacturing, industrialisation, job creation and wealth generation.
“In the knowledge economy, innovation is the competitive edge. Nigeria is richly endowed with intellectual assets. Our responsibility is to harness those assets to solve our national problems, promote local manufacturing, create jobs and generate wealth,” Echono said.
“We want the attendance to be rich. We want you to facilitate the process of mainstreaming these technologies into the Nigerian market to generate employment and create wealth for Nigerians.”
Earlier, Suleiman Zangina, TETFund’s director of research and development, said the fund had invested significantly in research and development over the years, with many projects already producing innovations ready for commercialisation.
“Several of the research projects funded by the National Research Fund have produced promising outputs that can be scaled up to the level of commercialisation,” he said.
Zangina explained that the National Research Fair was conceived to bridge the long-standing gap between researchers and industry.
“The National Research Fair was initiated to provide a platform where researchers and industry could have a handshake, so that research outputs can be translated into goods and services for the benefit of society,” he added.
He expressed confidence that the newly inaugurated committee would build on the success of the maiden edition.
Also speaking, Umar Bindir, chairman of the organising committee, said Nigeria’s research had yet to make the desired impact on economic development because of weak collaboration between academia and industry.
He said the committee would prioritise private sector participation to ensure research outputs are transformed into commercially viable products.
“We must build a bridge across the valley between knowledge generation and the people. Research should improve lives, create industries and reduce poverty,” Bindir said.
He described the expanded role of the private sector as a major innovation that would distinguish the 2026 exhibition.
“This time, the private sector will not just attend the exhibition; it will play a central role because commercialisation can only happen when industry takes ownership. We will leave no stone unturned. In fact, we will remove the stones completely to ensure this initiative succeeds.”
