ABUJA, Nigeria – The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has opened participation for its 2026 National Research Fair and Exhibition to innovators across Nigeria, with artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and other emerging technologies set to take centre stage at the event.
The announcement was made on Friday in Abuja during the inauguration of the 25-member committee that will organise the exhibition scheduled for November 2026.
Speaking at the event, TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the expanded fair aims to accelerate the commercialisation of research findings and home-grown innovations by connecting researchers, inventors, startups and technology developers with investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders.
He said the initiative builds on the success of the maiden National Research Fair in 2024, which showcased research breakthroughs and helped facilitate the commercialisation of several innovations.
Responding to a question from an Africa Health Report (AHR) correspondent on whether the exhibition would prioritise AI and digital technologies, Bindir said emerging technologies would be a major focus. “This is the age of robotics. This is the age of AI,” he said, noting that the exhibition would showcase innovations developed by Nigerian researchers and young technology entrepreneurs to demonstrate how emerging technologies are driving industrial growth and economic development.
TETFund’s Director of Research and Development and Centres of Excellence, Dr. Suleiman Zangina said the exhibition would be open to all Nigerians, irrespective of educational background or location. He explained that innovators would submit entries through a nationwide call, after which the committee would evaluate applications using established criteria before selecting exhibitors. He added that dedicated spaces would be provided for demonstrations of AI, digital, and other technology-driven innovations.
