Nigeria Enhances Research Financing for Enterprise Growth

On Thursday, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, announced a strategic plan to boost research financing aimed at accelerating enterprise development. This announcement was made in Abuja, Nigeria, during a gathering of policymakers and private sector actors organized by the European Union.

Udeh highlighted priority collaboration areas, including agricultural productivity, food security, digital transformation, and emerging technologies. The initiative will be coordinated under an inter-ministerial framework chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The EU's Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, emphasized the importance of co-creation in the EU-Nigeria scientific collaboration, focusing on joint ownership rather than mere knowledge transfer. Nienk Buisman, the European Commission's Director for International Cooperation in Research and Innovation, noted Nigeria's significant participation in the Horizon Europe program, with 55 projects involving Nigerian entities receiving approximately €20 million in funding across various sectors, including health and agriculture.