Babcock VC Advocates AI Adoption and Innovation Commercialization

During the Babcock Innov Venture Commercialization Summit held on Tuesday, 2026, at Babcock University in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, Prof. Afolarin Ojewol, the Vice Chancellor, urged the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and the commercialization of innovations.

He warned against the complacency of universities in merely producing research that remains unpublished and unutilized. Ojewol highlighted that the global innovation economy rewards institutions that deploy knowledge to create marketable solutions, rather than those that only excel in academic rigor.

He called for a shift in focus from merely seeking employment to fostering entrepreneurship among graduates. The summit featured Dr.

Raymond Okoro, who co-chaired the event, and emphasized the need for a coordinated ecosystem to support innovation. Guest speaker Nicki Verd from South Africa discussed the importance of acquiring relevant digital skills in a rapidly evolving job market.

Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu cautioned against over-reliance on AI tools, stressing the need for fact-checking information obtained from such technologies.