The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to establish 18 innovation hubs across Nigerian universities in 2025, aimed at boosting the country’s research and innovation capacity.
This announcement was made by TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, during the closing ceremony of the 30th Cohort of the Research for Impact (R4i) initiative at the Innov8 Technology Hub in Abuja.
The initiative is part of TETFund’s ongoing efforts to foster a culture of research, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement in Nigerian higher education institutions.
Echono emphasized the critical role of education and research in the nation’s development and sustainable growth. He also highlighted the importance of the R4i programme, which, in partnership with Innov8 Technology Hub, aims to enhance the research capabilities of academics and equip them to tackle societal challenges with innovative, solution-oriented research.
TETFund is committed to institutionalizing Research & Development (R&D) within Nigerian universities and strengthening collaborations between academia and industry. In line with this commitment, the Fund will roll out innovation hubs and entrepreneurship centres in phases.
The first phase, under the 2023 intervention, will involve 12 institutions. The second phase, for 2024, will include 18 universities, followed by a third phase in 2025 with another 18 institutions.
These hubs will allow participants to apply their skills, continue their innovative work, and mentor others within their academic communities.
Professor Idris M. Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, also spoke at the event, stressing the importance of patenting innovations and securing intellectual property through trade name registration.
Bugaje encouraged polytechnics to spearhead practical innovation and apply scientific methods to create locally produced technologies that will enhance Nigeria’s technological standing.
Edward Singhatey, Director of Innov8 Hub, urged participants to take their newly gained knowledge back to their institutions, share it with students, and foster a culture of innovation while also commercializing research outputs.
TETFund’s overarching strategy is to equip Nigerian universities with the tools and infrastructure needed to drive technological progress and contribute significantly to the country’s economic development.
