The Federal Government has inaugurated key committees and unveiled the National Research-to-Commercialisation Policy, a strategic framework aimed at transforming Nigeria’s research outputs into tangible economic, industrial and social value in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, performed the inauguration of the Steering Committee and the Policy Drafting Committee in Abuja, describing the initiative as a decisive step towards unlocking the developmental potential of publicly funded research.
He observed that despite significant investments in universities, research institutes and specialised agencies, many research outcomes have remained largely underutilised and disconnected from national development priorities.
Dr. Alausa explained that the new policy provides structured pathways for translating research beyond academic publications into products, services and scalable solutions that can drive economic growth.
According to him, the framework will institutionalise collaboration among government, academia, industry and financing institutions, strengthen incentives for innovation, protect intellectual property rights, safeguard public interest and ensure measurable returns on public investment.
The Minister announced concrete Federal Government support for the initiative, including ₦2 billion allocation in the 2026 budget for the Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Committee (RICC), a ₦3 billion operational budget for RICC activities, a ₦50 million Student Grant Venture Capital Initiative, as well as institutional innovation grants.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described the initiative as a major milestone in repositioning research as a core driver of economic growth, job creation and national competitiveness.
The newly inaugurated committees are mandated to develop a comprehensive policy framework and submit a final National Research-to-Commercialisation Policy document to the Federal Government for approval and implementation.
