ABUJA, Nigeria – The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is targeting the commercialisation of up to 500 research innovations from Nigerian institutions to strengthen local production, create businesses and reduce dependence on imported technologies.
The Chairman of the organising committee for the 2026 National Research Fair and Exhibition, Engr. Umar Bindir, disclosed this on Thursday during a committee meeting in Abuja ahead of the event scheduled for November 24 to 27. Bindir said the committee had received between 4,000 and 5,000 applications from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, research institutions and independent inventors. However, only innovations considered to have practical commercial potential were selected.
He said the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between academic research and market application by connecting inventors with investors, financial institutions, industries and business development experts. According to him, intellectual property professionals would also provide free guidance on patents, trademarks and industrial designs to help innovators protect their inventions and prepare them for commercial use.
Providing an update on previous editions, Bindir said between 30 and 40 innovations had reached advanced stages of commercialisation, while several others were still undergoing development and required additional support before entering the market. He said the exhibition would showcase innovations addressing challenges in agriculture, healthcare, sanitation and housing, among other sectors.
The event will also feature an international symposium beginning on November 25, with participation expected from China, India, Canada and Japan, alongside representatives of the World Bank, UNESCO and the African Development Bank. Bindir said Nigeria needed to move beyond generating academic knowledge to developing technologies capable of meeting domestic needs and competing in international markets.
He stressed that connecting researchers with investors and industry players was essential to turning inventions into commercially viable products.
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