The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to establish 18 new Innovation Hubs in tertiary institutions across Nigeria in 2025 as part of efforts to strengthen research and innovation.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, made the disclosure at the closing ceremony of the 30th Cohort of the Research for Impact (R4i) initiative in Abuja on Friday. He said the initiative aligns with the Fund’s commitment to fostering problem-solving research, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement in higher institutions.
Echono noted that TETFund has been supporting the institutionalization of Research & Development (R&D) in universities and promoting research-industry collaboration. He added that the establishment of Innovation Hubs and Entrepreneurship Centres is being implemented in phases, with 12 institutions benefiting in 2023, 18 in 2024, and another 18 in 2025.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Idris Bugaje, emphasized the importance of patenting innovations and registering trade names to protect intellectual property. He urged polytechnics to lead in practical innovation, reducing Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technology.
The Director of Innov8 Hub, Edward Singhatey, encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the training to commercialize research and drive innovation in their institutions.
