By Mariam Abeeb
The Federal Government has inaugurated a high-powered Ministerial Committee to drive the commercialisation of research outputs from Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The Research and Innovation Commercialisation Committee (RICC) was inaugurated in Abuja by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa.
Alausa said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by turning homegrown research into commercially viable products and services.
The committee, chaired by Dr. Tayo Aduloju, CEO of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), has other members like Prof. Ibrahim Katampe, Dr. Umar Bindir, Prof. Sydney Ibeanusi, Dr. Detoun Ogwu, and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, the Bank of Industry, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and Nigerian universities, among others.
According to the Minister, the development is aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-driven one. “Nations that have achieved sustainable development and global competitiveness have done so by investing in knowledge creation and, more importantly, in the effective commercialisation of research outputs,” he said.
Dr. Alausa said the Ministry, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has already rolled out several impactful projects to boost research, including the provision of central multipurpose laboratories, alternative energy for campuses, and medical simulation centres.
However, he acknowledged that despite a vibrant academic community and decades of groundbreaking research, the country still struggles to scale innovations into real-world solutions.
